Kyoshi Rising
by iowaforever
Summary: Kyoshi was born in the Southern Earth Kingdom, a normal Earthbending girl happy to live in seclusion. But as she grows older, and as the peace of Yangchen and Kuruk begins to break down, she will take her first steps down a path that shall make her a legend.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

An unusually strong storm had struck the Northern Water Tribe. Normally such a storm would not be given much notice, the city being fortified to deal with such occurrences, but this one was particularly strong, as if the Wind and Ocean Spirits had taken issue with one another and the storm was a result of their conflict. Waves lashed at the walls of the city, some reaching dizzying heights before breaking. Snow whipped through the city, small cyclones of snow making it difficult to see. The wind and snow forced the people of the Northern Water Tribe to seek shelter, even the mightiest of their Waterbenders preferring to stay inside rather than face the might of the storm.

Within the chief's palace, a young servant girl hurried about her duties. She carried with her several Tiger Seal pelts, distributing them to the officials and nobles that had settled down in the palace to wait out the storm. They paid her no mind, and she was thankful for that; while she was happy to be in service of the chief and his family, she was not used to dealing with so many people in one place, and would rather not have her nervousness get the better of herself.

"Aga?" she stopped and turned towards the voice, spotting her friend Auma among the pillars. She was a bit older than Aga, and had been training as a healer for almost twelve years now, and the only time they really saw each other now was at times like this, when the chief called upon the healers of their tribe and Auma helped assist the older healers.

"Auma? I didn't know you finished your rounds."

"The only patients we had were a few boys who thought it was a bright idea to do boomerang practice in a storm." the older girl chuckled as she crossed the room to her friend. "I suppose I should get used to it in case I ever have sons."

"I guess." the two continued down the hall before Aga spoke again "So, have your parents said anything about... you know, boys?"

"Nothing yet." Auma said with a frustrated sigh. "I think it's my dad's fault; you know he's always been rather protective of me."

"I know."

"Although..." Auma turned Aga towards her. "I did notice that Hasook has been talking to me more lately."

"Hasook? Really?" Hasook was everything a girl could want in a Tribesman; tall, handsome, and a skilled warrior and hunter to boot. While marriages were usually handled by the parents speaking to each other, numerous families had approached Hasook directly, hoping that he would pick one of their daughters. _Guess he decided to do it his way._ "Do you think he'll make you an engagement necklace?"

"I hope so. He seems interested." the two girls giggled and continued on, as if they were oblivious to the storm raging outside. "So, any boys following you?"

"I don't know, I've been pretty busy and my parents haven't said anything."

"Oh... well, I hope it works out for you." Aga nodded before turning down one of the darker halls, Auma stopping near one of the doors. "Aga, why are you going down there?"

"The chief said that I should deliver blankets to everyone." the servant replied, not stopping as she made her way down the hall. "And I didn't see the Avatar when I started my rounds, so I thought he wouldn't mind if I dropped something off at his room." She continued on, but was pulled to a halt when Auma froze her feet to the floor.

"You can't seriously think about intruding on the _Avatar_, can you?" Auma asked as she caught up with her friend.

"I've never heard of Avatar Kuruk getting angry at people." Aga countered. "I always heard he was rather nice."

"That was ten years ago. You know, before his fiancée got kidnapped by spirits?" Aga's resolve broke down a little. Everyone in the Northern Water Tribe knew of Avatar Kuruk's loss, and had mourned with him after he failed to recover her from the spirits. Aga and Auma were too young to remember that day, but every time they did see the Avatar he seemed lost.

"Well... It wouldn't hurt to just leave them at his door, would it? If he needs them he can come and get them."

"... Fine." Auma waved her hand, and the ice around Aga's feet melted. "But if we get in trouble for disturbing the Avatar, I'm blaming you."

"I can deal with that." the two kept walking. "... Where did you learn that? With the ice?"

"Sometimes the patients get squirmy; we have to find some way to keep them from injuring themselves further." Aga nodded as they approached a rather nondescript door. The chief had insisted that Avatar Kuruk take a different room, but Kuruk had insisted on this one. Aga was not sure why; Kuruk was well-known to enjoying the pleasures of life, and this room was anything but pleasing. _Maybe it's closer to the Spirit Oasis..._

Aga stepped forward and knocked lightly. "Avatar Kuruk?" No answer, but the door did swing inward slightly when she knocked. She gave a small gasp and backed up, but when there was no other response her curiosity got the better of her and she peaked inside.

"What are you doing?" Auma hissed. Aga gave her friend a look and pushed the door in further.

"Avatar Kuruk? Are you there? I was just dropping off blankets and thought you'd like-" She stopped when she had surveyed the room. "Oh no."

...

"How soon until the storm clears?" the chief of the Northern Water Tribe asked his top Waterbenders.

"With the Avatar's help, we could clear the storm by tomorrow morning." the eldest of the Waterbenders said.

"Kuruk won't help." another scoffed. "He's busy preparing to enter the Spirit World, as he does every year."

"I don't think you should be doubting Kuruk's integrity, Master Ataneq." the chief said. "While he is not as... intense as Avatar Yangchen, Kuruk has been nothing but helpful to our tribe in times of need. Even after the loss of his fiancée he has still come to our aid."

"Be that as it may, we should still prepare just in case Kuruk does not or cannot assist us." the chief frowned. He knew Kuruk, and was certain that the Avatar would be more than willing to assist the other Waterbenders in quelling the storm. He was about to make his decision when a serving girl and a healer rushed into the room.

"Oh, forgive me-" the girl began, stopping when she saw the glares from the assembled Waterbenders.

"How dare you barge in on our meeting like this?" one Waterbender shouted.

"Leave, before you make the situation worse for you." Ataneq said, and the two girls began to leave before the chief spoke again.

"Wait," he said, the girls stopping and turning. "Whatever you wanted to say must be urgent, if you are to come in here so quickly. What is the matter?" the serving girl took a moment to compose herself.

"Well, I was delivering blankets as you said I should, and I thought I'd give one to Avatar Kuruk. And..."

"And what? Speak up, child."

"W-when I went to his room... it was empty; I didn't see anything that Kuruk owned. I-I think he left the palace and went out into the storm." a shocked silence filled the room.

"You're lying." a different waterbender said.

"I-I'm not."

"Kuruk would know better than to go out into a storm." the lead Waterbender said. "Even if he is the Avatar, he's not the kind of man to tempt fate like that."

"Let's not argue over this." the chief stood and walked over to the girls. "Take us to the Avatar's room; perhaps you merely panicked and Kuruk has not left us." the girls nodded and began walking, the chief and his Waterbenders following close behind.

"Kuruk wouldn't just leave like that." the lead Waterbender repeated as they made their way down the halls.

"Maybe he just went to a different part of the palace." another said.

"With all his things?" Ataneq asked, shaking his head. "Hopefully this is just some kind of joke and the Avatar will return."

"This is coming from the man who said the Avatar would not come to our aid." the lead Waterbender responded.

"I may doubt his willingness to help our people," Ataneq said "But outright abandoning us? Kuruk wouldn't do something like that." the group stopped at the room that Kuruk had requested. The two girls stood aside as the chief pushed the door open, the group gasping when they realized the situation.

There was nothing left. Avatar Kuruk was gone.

...

Kuruk pulled his Polar Bear-Dog pelt tighter as he trekked through the snow, his eyes fixed on the horizon. A quick blast of fire helped him as he moved, but the intensity of the storm meant that his path was filled in quicker than he could move. Moving in to the Avatar State might have helped, but every time he tried to concentrate something held him back.

"You can't do this, Kuruk." he looked up and saw a woman, a spectre in the wind that flickered in and out of existence as the elements whipped around them. She was dressed in the traditional yellow and orange robes of the Air Nomads, the front half of her head shaved to show the arrow tattoo that denoted her status as an Airbending Master.

"I've done everything I can," Kuruk responded, another blast of fire melting the snow around him. "And that creature that stole Ummi from me still eludes me."

"I'm not talking about that." The spirit of Yangchen said. "The Avatar must place the needs of the world before their own. This storm threatens your people, and you cannot abandon them like this."

"But I cannot abandon Ummi. She's somewhere in the spirit world, in the clutches of some... monster, and I must find her."

"You are allowing your desires cloud your judgement, and you are placing not only the Northern Water Tribe at risk, but yourself. If you stay out here any longer, you will die, and the world may very well fall out of balance without your presence." Kuruk paused for a moment, eyeing the image of his past life.

"The world has held up after your time as Avatar. It can hold up if I die."

"Kuruk, stop this folly and go back." Kuruk stopped trying to melt the snow around him and focused, not looking up as Yangchen's spectre faded from view. She was right, again; the Northern Water Tribe needed his help, and just walking off into the frozen tundra would not solve anyone's problems. _Guess I need to reevaluate my impulsiveness once I get through this._

"I can't going back." he said, power building up inside him. "**But I will not abandon anyone."** Eyes glowing bright, Kuruk launched himself into the air with a powerful airblast, twisting his arms around as he pulled in both air and snow. The chill of the air around him stabbed into his limbs for the briefest of instances before the energy flowing through him nullified the pain. Kuruk continued to pull at the elements around him, and gradually the storm began to die down. Each cloud and snowdrift was compressed into an area smaller than an Arctic Hen, Kuruk's face twisting into a scowl as water and air were compressed. An errant wind threatened to blow him off course, but with a twist of his free hand he tamed that wind.

The storm had died down to much more manageable levels, and with a sweep of his hands Kuruk dismissed the compressed air and water. The wind and ice exploded outward in a massive disk, dissipating long after Kuruk had lost sight of it. Another pull of Airbending brought Kuruk back to earth, and with a deep breath he dismissed his past lives.

"**It's finished,"** he said as his eyes returned to their normal hue. "The Northern Water Tribe is safe..." With another sigh, Kuruk's knees gave out and he collapsed into the snow. He tried to get back up and move on, but the fatigue from defusing the storm had taken a toll on his body, and while he did dissipate most of the storm, there was still enough wind to slowly coat him in snow.

He wanted to move on through the snow, but his spirit was ready to move to a new destination.

_Ummi... I shall find you soon._

...

In the southern Earth Kingdom lay a small fishing village, shielded from the world by ocean and the remains of a once great mountain range. As the world faced turmoil and tribulation, with kingdoms and Avatars coming and going, it had remained unchanged. Farmers worked the same stretches of land their ancestors had, fishermen fished in the same ranges. The town was static, a piece of the past that was unwilling to move forward.

However, not all changes were unheard of.

Near the edge of town, near some of the farms the populace maintained, two young children waited outside their home, the boy stabbing a stick into the dirt while his older sister sat on the porch, perfectly fine to be as far away from her brother as possible. They had wanted to be inside, in order to see their mother have her baby, but they had been sent outside until everything was taken care of. While they could not see the baby, they could still speculate, and that kept their minds entertained for some time.

"So," Li asked, turning his attention away from the dirt and up to his sister "What do you think he's gonna be like?"

"'_He_'?" his sister Mei asked, raising an eyebrow. "Mom's having a girl, not a boy."

"No she's not!" Li shouted, returning to swinging his stick around. "He and I are gonna go everywhere. We'll go up to Ba Sing Se and join the Earth King's army, and then we're gonna beat up thieves and robbers like those heroes Grandpa Xu talked about! Maybe we'll even see the Avatar! Won't it be cool to see the Avatar?"

"I suppose..." Mei turned away. "But my _sister_ wouldn't be interested in fighting and beating people up."

"So, what? You gonna make her look like some mad Hog Monkey?" this drew a glare from Mei.

"No! We're gonna be just as pretty as those girls from Omashu and Ba Sing Se. Maybe we'll be able to have tea with the Avatar rather than just seeing him." she got a faraway look in her eye. "I heard the Avatar is such a strong Bender; he can lift ten boulders with two fingers and run across Ba Sing Se in a few seconds. He probably enjoys meeting lots of people, going to parties and other stuff like that."

"Who wants to go to parties?" Li pointed his stick at Mei. "Besides, the Avatar'd be too busy beating up bad guys to go do girly stuff."

"Parties are not 'girly'." Mei shot back, rising up to stand over her little brother. She was the oldest, she would have her way, but Li did not seem to understand that.

"They are too." he said, bringing down his stick.

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Kids!" Mei and Li were shaken from their argument by their father, a heavyset man in his mid forties. The two turned to face him as he kneeled down to be on eye-level with them. "Why are you fighting?"

"Li said parties were girly!" Mei cried, pointing at Li.

"Well they are!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." their father said, sitting down and making himself more comfortable. "Your grandfather used to tell me about the celebrations the Earth Kings of old would throw his victorious soldiers after great wars. They would have great champions come forth and perform feats of strength, and these celebrations could last for days on end."

"Really?" Li smiled. "We're gonna do that. Me and my brother, we're gonna be big champions and win wars."

"Your brother?" their father asked, raising an eyebrow before standing. "Would you two like to meet your new sister?" the two children stood in silence for a few moments, their minds trying to make sense of what was just said.

"I have a sister!" Mei cried, darting past her father and into the house. Li stood in silence for a little longer before dropping his stick and trudging up the steps, trying his best to pout.

"Now I won't be able to go to Ba Sing Se." he muttered.

"You'll get your chance." his father said as he escorted Li inside. "Besides, it doesn't have to be just you."

"Yeah... but now I've got a sister. She and Mei are gonna do a whole bunch of girly things and I won't have any fun."

"Hey you still have me. And who knows, maybe she'll surprise you."

"How?" Li did not get an answer, as they had entered his parent's bedroom. His mother was lying in bed, still sweaty from the ordeal of childbirth, and lying in her arms was the sleeping form of a baby, only her face visible beneath the blanket she had been wrapped in. Mei was ecstatic, leaning over and speaking all sorts of nonsense to try and get a reaction out of the newborn.

"Li?" his mother asked. "Come here and say hello to your sister."

"Okay." Li shuffled over to the bed, looking over at the baby. The newborn twitched a little, but otherwise did not react to his presence. _She's kind of cute... but still a girl._

"Why are her feet so big?" Mei asked.

"How can you see her feet?" Li responded, looking up at his older sister.

"I saw them before they got her all wrapped up. It's not gonna make her ugly, is it?"

"Mei, how could you say that?" their mother said, shifting the baby in her arms. "She's not going to be ugly just because she has big feet. Your grandmother had big feet, and she was very beautiful."

"Yeah..." Mei scooted in a bit closer, trying to get a better look at the baby. "What's her name?" there was a pause, during which the baby began to stir. She whimpered before beginning to squirm, calming down only after a few soothing words from her mother.

"Her name is Kyoshi."

* * *

**This is an idea that's been bouncing around in my mind for some time (read, since halfway through ****_Beginnings Part 2_****). This is just my idea of Kyoshi's life up until her defeat of Chin the Conqueror and the creation of the Dai Li. I hope you enjoy it.**

**I don't own ****_Avatar_**** and its related characters. Favorites and reviews are appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.**

**Oh, and any suggestions for names would be appreciated too**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Kyoshi was beginning to realize just how big the world around her was. Not only big, but poorly managed and rather mean. She could not really go anywhere, but she wanted to, her eyes catching dozens of different things beyond the walls of the enclosure she was in. More than anything, Kyoshi wanted to reach out and grab those things, whatever they were, but fate seemed to conspire against her at every turn.

The first obstacles were the two large creatures that seemed to watch her constantly. At first Kyoshi was unsure of what to make of them; they would come in and look at her, saying something in their odd language, and for the first few weeks Kyoshi was certain they were not to be trusted. However, they did not understand Kyoshi's concerns, so they continued to watch her and talk to her.

Try as she might, as time went on Kyoshi could no longer oppose these beings. She grew to enjoy seeing them come and watch her, and they began to understand just when she got hungry and would feed her. Kyoshi liked that; they would feed her, and then they would make her comfortable for a nice nap. If she was tired, or bored, they would come to her and comfort her. They would bathe her and keep her clean, and while she resisted at first she began to enjoy bath time more and more.

The two other creatures in the house, smaller but much more energetic, called the larger ones by many names, or by what Kyoshi assumed were names. She was frustrated that she could not understand what her caretakers were saying, but she would understand soon enough.

The ones she did begin to formulate were "Dad" for the biggest and "Mom" for the one with the nice voice. They had their own words for each other, but those two stood out to Kyoshi.

"Mom"... "Dad"... that was something Kyoshi could understand.

What she could not understand were the little creatures. Way more energetic than Mom and Dad, they did not seem to have the respect for Kyoshi's needs that Mom and Dad did. They would try to speak with Kyoshi while she tried to sleep, or look at her and do odd things with their heads while she ate. Kyoshi did not like that, but fortunately Mom would come and shoo them away if they disturbed Kyoshi too much.

Sometimes, much to Kyoshi's horror, Mom would give her over to these two... things. She would still be there, but Kyoshi was at the mercy of these creatures. The small one would prance around like some kind of animal, hooting and yelling in his odd language while swinging around something Kyoshi could not see. That was bad enough, but the older one would hold on to Kyoshi and mess around with her hair, talking about things she could not understand.

Perhaps it was some bizarre ritual the two performed. As with their language, Kyoshi would understand in due time.

While Kyoshi did not trust them, she could not hate them; they seemed kind of like Mom and Dad, in that their actions were well meaning if a bit odd at times. For now, Kyoshi would tolerate them and their odd rituals, as long as Mom would be there to take Kyoshi away when the others got too weird.

While Kyoshi's caretakers were odd, her dwellings were even more outlandish. First was the box. Mom called it something else, something like "crib", but to Kyoshi it was a box. Kyoshi spent a lot of time in the box, mostly sleeping, but it was good enough for her. The bottom was soft, and when she wanted to go to sleep Mom, or sometimes Dad but usually Mom, would drape soft sheets over her and keep her warm, and Kyoshi liked that. She would have liked it if the box was a little bigger, or if she could get out easier, but they did not seem to understand that.

After the box was a big room. Kyoshi would be brought into this big room two or three times a day, and Mom would feed her there. The room smelled of... something, but Kyoshi enjoyed that something. The others would eat there as well, at least she assumed so as she watched them poking at round things with sticks. The room was bigger than the box, and Kyoshi wanted to see all of it as soon as she could, but she was small, and it would take some time to see the room.

The last, and most confusing aspect of her dwelling, was a large flat surface with plenty of light, made of the same material that made the box. The little creatures would go out there quite often, running about and performing their strange rituals. Kyoshi did not go there as often, as the sheer size of the place and odd smell was daunting. Sometimes Mom would carry her out there to watch the little creatures, which would not last long before the openness and odd lack of any kind of smell began to wear on Kyoshi. She did not understand why the little creatures seemed to enjoy this realm more than they did the big room, and they seemed to think Kyoshi liked being here than in her box asleep.

Mom would help with Kyoshi's confusion. She was fed, cleaned, and got a nap. Maybe she would like moving out there, but for now she was glad that Mom would be there to keep her safe.

Other times Mom carried her to another place, where other creatures like Mom gathered and talked while passing around different, colorful objects. It was here that Kyoshi saw the wonders of hundreds of colors, and she would sit in awe and watch while Mom did whatever it was that Moms did. It was worth dealing with the lack of smell and the openness, if Kyoshi got to see the colors.

As time went on, and the dwelling seemed to be getting smaller, Kyoshi began to understand more and more. The two little creatures were related to her, something called "Brother and Sister", and they had their own titles. The box was replaced by a bigger box, which Kyoshi appreciated greatly until she woke up and realized it was not her box. This happened several times before she began to see this new box as her own, and she loved it more than she had the old one. Her legs and arms grew stronger, and she was able to move on her own over short distances... not that Mom would let her.

She also learned new words, new meanings. The dwelling she was in was called "Home", and the stuff that the others were poking at when she ate was called "Food". Kyoshi wanted to see if this food was any good, but she was denied again and again.

Also, Kyoshi began to feel something. She was not sure what, but when she did get a chance to sit or move around, she could feel something. Something like a bunch of little round things, beneath the bottom of home. Kyoshi wanted to reach out to them and touch them, but the bottom of home stopped her from getting too far. The feeling was stronger "outside", and Kyoshi found herself wanting to go outside more and more.

This place was playing with her mind. Kyoshi did not like that.

...

Li was bored. All of his friends were busy with chores or other work, and Mom and Dad were working on dinner. That left him alone with Mei and baby Kyoshi, something that he was not incredibly happy about. Kyoshi was okay, in the sense that she babbled to herself in her own language and did not cause too much trouble, but what really got on his nerves was that Mei would join in, speaking in some warped language in the belief that Kyoshi would understand.

"Will you stop that!" he cried when the baby-talk became unbearable. "You know she can't understand you."

"She _can_ understand me." Mei shot back, turning Kyoshi to face Li. "Look at her, isn't she just the smartest little baby you've ever seen?" Kyoshi's only response was to chew on her hand and give a gurgle.

"Yeah, _real _smart." Li sighed. "I'm bored."

"Why don't you go find some of your friends and run around in a mud pit for a few hours?"

"They're all busy." Li slouched for a moment before an idea came to mind. He looked up at Kyoshi, who was currently giggling at a Spider-Fly walking across one of the porch railings. "Let me see Kyoshi."

"No." Mei pulled Kyoshi towards her, startling the infant from her marveling. "You'll get her dirty."

"So? Mom'll just give her a bath. Besides, she doesn't have to be all prissy like you." Kyoshi realized that something was going on, and that it was probably best if she not be between the two siblings. But as she tried to crawl away, Mei held on tighter, Kyoshi vocalizing her displeasure with a sharp cry.

"Look, you're scaring her!"

"No I'm not!" Li reached out for Kyoshi, trying to pull the baby away from his older sister. "She just doesn't want to be around you anymore!"

"No, stop it!" Mei pulled Kyoshi back towards her, causing the baby to cry out again, squirming to get free of her sister's grasp. In her struggle to get free, one of Kyoshi's feet hit the board beneath her, strong enough to be considered a stomp.

That stomp sent a tremor down the length of the board. It was small enough that Mei and Li did not notice it while they tried to take Kyoshi for themselves, and even if they did there was not much they could do. The tremor went down the length of the board and turned, running down the side of the steps and into the dirt below. From there it spread out, focusing specifically on two points Kyoshi was trying to get away from.

Argument turned to shock as the steps and porch seemed to lift up under Mei and Li. Both children cried out as they were knocked from their positions by two pillars of dirt stabbing up from the ground beneath them, the wood of the porch splitting beneath the force of the earth. Now free, Kyoshi was distracted from her escape by what she did, staring in wonder at the rocks in front of her. As Li pulled himself up and Mei tried to get back on her feet, Kyoshi began to giggle and clap her hands together, as if she wanted to ground to repeat the performance.

"Mom! Mom!" Mei cried as she ran into the house, leaving Li to keep staring in shock at Kyoshi. Her mother looked up from her work, setting aside a bowl of rice before facing Mei.

"What is it?" she asked, trying to temper the worry in her voice. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Kyoshi threw a rock at me!" Mei noticed that a few tears were running down her face. In her defense, having your baby sister hit you with a rock hurt both physically and emotionally, and she was not composed enough to deal with such... "insults". Her mother blinked a few times before frowning.

"Mei..."

"It was a big rock!"

"Mei. Kyoshi isn't even one yet; she can't throw rocks at people." Mei tried to protest, but was cut off by her mother wiping away the tears on her cheek. "Now, what really happened?"

"Me and Li were fighting, and Kyoshi threw rocks at us."

"Mei, stop trying to bring Kyoshi into this. Why on earth would you try to convince me that your baby sister threw rocks at-"

"But she can!" Mei tugged on her mother's sleeve, pulling her to the front of the house. When the two came out to the porch, Kyoshi was still in her spot, although she was now swatting at the nearest of the pillars of earth, and manage to swat a rather large chunk out of the pillar. "See? She hit me with that!"

"Oh... oh my..." after pulling her sleeve free of Mei's grasp, her mother ran back inside the house. "Han! Come quick! I think Kyoshi's an Earthbender!"

...

Lian looked down on the sleeping form of Kyoshi. After the initial excitement of learning that Kyoshi was an Earthbender, the girl had tired out and fell asleep, and while Lian put her to bed Mei and Li helped clean up the mess outside. Han went out back for something, so Lian busied herself making sure Kyoshi was comfortable.

"I think I have an idea." she looked up as Han entered the room. "There's a broken plow out back. I can take it down to the blacksmith and see if he can make it into a sheet so Kyoshi doesn't Bend holes in the floor."

"Are you sure that will work?"

"Earthbenders can't Bend metal, and I don't think she's strong enough to break through." he sighed. "Spirits, my life was so much easier this morning when my daughter _wasn't_ an Earthbender."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, no. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, and Kyoshi'll be a great help around here once she gets older. It's just..." a pause. "My father used to tell me stories of roving fighters and Earthbenders, who'd go from town to town seeking out other Earthbenders to duel. I don't want Kyoshi getting caught up with something like that."

"But that was then." Lian moved closer and placed a hand on Han's shoulder. "I'm sure times have changed. Even if they haven't, no one ever comes this far south. Kyoshi will be fine."

"... I suppose." Han broke from his wife's touch and moved to look at the sleeping Kyoshi. The baby squirmed to find a better position in her crib, but otherwise did not wake up. "We'll still have to find a way for her to control her Bending."

"I'm sure she'll mellow out when she gets older. And we can always find her a teacher if things get out of hand."

"Where, though?" Han turned back to Lian. "There's no Earthbenders anywhere near here, and I don't want to uproot everyone and move to Gaoling to find a teacher."

"Maybe someone here knows something about Earthbending. I could ask around tomorrow."

"That sounds like a good idea." the two were interrupted by the sound of shuffling outside the room. They turned and saw Li standing in the doorway, his arms covered in dirt.

"All the dirt's gone, Mom." he said, wiping some of the dirt on his forehead.

"Good. Go get washed up for dinner."

...

Kyoshi was aware of someone watching her. It was not Mom or Dad, or even the other two; this one was different, alien and yet familiar at the same time. Most of the time Kyoshi did not realize the presence was there, but it seemed to drift forward whenever she got a chance to go outside and touch the ground. She wanted to focus on this presence, but it disappeared as soon as it had arrived.

Kyoshi did not like this. Hopefully it would go away.

She was seated on the porch again, only with Mom this time. The others, whom Mom called "Li" or "Mei", were gone, having gone with Dad while he dragged a big rolling box filled with things. Mom was seated near Kyoshi, guiding her away from the steps while she played. Kyoshi was willing to accept that; after she made the dirt break the floor that one time, she did not want to break anything like that again, although she did want to move dirt around again like that. She would get her chance, and she would wait for that.

"You know," Mom said, as if she was trying to strike up a conversation with Kyoshi. "You remind me of a fire ferret I saw in a traveling show once."

"Ba." Kyoshi said, focusing her attention on a small rock. It was not like she understood what Mom was saying, and Kyoshi was distracted by her new rock, but Mom continued on anyway.

"You've never seen a fire ferret before... Maybe when you're older, we could go look for one. But this one was very curious, always running to every person it saw and sniffing them." Mom chuckled. "And now I see you here, and you just keep on moving from one thing to the next... maybe I just forgot about it since your brother was your age."

"Abah." was Kyoshi's only response. She reached forward and grabbed her new rock, turning it over in her hands. As she held it, she could feel something running through her fingers, something that brought a smile to her face. She felt like the rock was another part of her, like her toes or her hands.

But she wanted to do something more with the rock. She cupped it in her hands, feeling every bit of the rock as she held it. Maybe she could make it look like something else... like Mom. Mom was pretty, and the rock was not so pretty, so with another smile Kyoshi began to pull at the rock. Unfortunately, she lacked the coordination to properly shape the rock, and as she pulled she gasped when the rock exploded into a cloud of dust.

Kyoshi did not like that. Her rock was gone, and now she was sad.

"Oh dear." Kyoshi was not given a chance to mourn for her lost rock as Mom turned her around, rolling up her sleeve and rubbing the dust from her hands. Kyoshi wanted to cry, but Mom always had a way of cheering her up. "See? All better now."

"Baba." Kyoshi pulled her hand away and began to look around for a new rock, spotting one near Mom's foot. "Ma?"

"... What did you just say?"

"Ma." Kyoshi pointed to the rock. That would be her new rock, and she would make it pretty for Mom. But Mom did not seem interested in the rock and picked Kyoshi up.

"Y-you just called me 'Ma'." Mom said, a large smile spreading across her face.

"Ma." Mom seemed to like that, and if Kyoshi could not get her a pretty rock, this would suffice. Mom smiled even wider and hugged Kyoshi, Kyoshi mimicking the action to make her even happier.

"Oh, you are an amazing little girl." Mom said, chuckling as she held Kyoshi close. There was a pause before Mom pulled away. "Can you say anything else? Can you say 'Da'?"

This was something she understood. This was something Kyoshi liked.

* * *

**Appears that I had a bit of inspiration from the last chapter. Who knew?**

**So, Kyoshi's an Earthbender now, and her past lives might be trying to get a better perspective of what she's like. We'll be sticking around Kyoshi's childhood for a few chapters before she glows it up and starts travelling the world. Hope you enjoy.**

**Still don't own _Avatar_ and its related characters. Reviews and favorites are appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kyoshi had found a nice clearing near her home, somewhere with open spaces where she could practice Earthbending while not been too far away from home. She dug her toes into the ground, dirt cascading over the curves of her feet and tickling her skin. Kyoshi smiled as she reached out with her Earthbending, trying to see just how far she could feel. When she had first learned just what being an Earthbender was, she had used this technique to make sure she did not break anything of importance (especially after she catapulted one of the Chicken Pigs twenty feet into the air on her second birthday), and so far it had worked wonderfully. She spread her arms and legs wide, trying to cover as much area as possible.

_Six feet..._ she thought as she reached the limits of her Earthbending. _That's __better than last week._ Grinning, Kyoshi began to sweep her arms back and forth, trying to build up energy within herself so she could Bend better. Once that was complete, Kyoshi stomped forward several steps, holding her arms out, and spun them once more, hoping to dislodge a few large chunks of earth that she could practice on.

The ground shuddered for a moment, and then a small rock slowly rose into the air in front of her. Once the initial surprise wore off, Kyoshi stared at the rock in disappointment before dropping her hands, not even bothering as the rock fell to the ground and rolled away.

"Why can't I make bigger rocks?" she asked herself, sitting down and looking towards the dirt. Ever since she could walk, and thus Earthbend properly, it had been the same result; all the fancy arm movements and energy resulted in one little rock floating around at a speed Snail Worms would be insulted by. She tried stomping, bending over, even running into the motions, but she never got a different result.

"... Maybe if I do it again it'll be better." her confidence restored, she stood up and reached out with her Earthbending again. She swung her arms about again, leaning to one side or another to try to build up even more energy than last time. Kyoshi was about to release her energy when she heard the snap of a dry stick behind her.

"Who's there?" Kyoshi spun around, picking up the first rock she had created. While she was still working on moving and pulling rocks without touching them, she was much more skilled at getting rocks and mud to go where she wanted when she threw them. She held her rock in both hands, ready to throw it at whoever was sneaking up on her. "I have a rock. I'll throw it at you if you don't go away."

"She won't do that... would she?" a voice said from behind a bush.

"She's an Earthbender, isn't she?" another voice said. "They always throw rocks at people." Kyoshi realized that it was Ling and Cheng, two of her brother's friends. Li and his friends were always out playing Earth Kingdom Soldier or some similar game, and they would often "capture" Kyoshi and hold her hostage for one side to come and rescue. Kyoshi had fun at first, but they never changed the routine and let her capture anyone, and that began to get boring. She would like to capture someone; the boys seemed to have fun, so why couldn't she have fun with them?

_Today is gonna be different._ Kyoshi put her rock aside. "Can I capture you guy this time?"

"No!" the two boys stepped out of the bushes. Cheng was a skinny boy, one of the tallest Kyoshi knew, while Ling was rather stocky and smelled funny. Both were wielding broken fence posts as if they were spears, and pointed them at Kyoshi. "You can't capture us, 'cuz we're capturing you."

"But I wanna capture someone. I got captured last time, can't I capture someone this time?"

"No. Girls can't capture soldiers." Ling said, moving around to get behind Kyoshi. "Now go. We're taking you to the Fire King."

"No, it's Fire _Lord_." Cheng said, taking his place in front of Kyoshi. "There's no Fire King."

"Yes there is. You... you just don't know about it."

"Can I be a soldier?" Kyoshi asked. "I can make my Earthbending all scary." this got her a shove from Ling, which given Kyoshi was smaller than Ling almost caused her to fall over. "Hey!"

"The Earth Kingdom Princess will not speak, for she is our prisoner!" he said, and the two older boys lead Kyoshi away. The trio went past Kyoshi's home and down to a field that another farmer had left fallow. Now Kyoshi could see several other boys, all of them wielding sticks and congregating near the edge of the field, where an old tree stump lay.

"Aha! You have captured the Earth Kingdom Princess!" the apparent leader said as Kyoshi was lead to the stump. The boys parted while Cheng made Kyoshi sit on the stump, so that she was not touching the ground and thus unable to Bend.

"Um, the Earth Kingdom Princess would like to join you guys." Kyoshi said, tugging at the hem of her shirt.

"You can't do that." the lead boy said. "You are my prisoner. You will marry me and open the gates to Ba Sing Se, or-"

"You'll feed me to the Unagi?" Kyoshi asked flatly. The boys stared at her as she continued on. "Can't you just do something else? Or let me play?"

"Quiet!" the leader said. "You're our prisoner. Do as we say."

"She won't be your prisoner for very long, Fire King!" the boys surrounding Kyoshi turned as Li and the rest of his friends, also wielding sticks, charged forward. The boys began swinging the sticks around, not actually trying to hit each other but trying to make it look like they were. Kyoshi stayed on the stump, not because she did not want to play, but because bringing Earthbending into the fight would be a bit unfair... unless they let her play the Avatar.

Li and the other boy "dueled" in front of Kyoshi, the girl having to lean back now and then to avoid a wild swing. Li might have been a bit bigger than the other boy, but he was nowhere near as skilled in the art of swinging sticks and was pushed back.

"You can't win!" the other boy said. "I'm the Fire King! I always win against Earth Kingdom Soldiers."

"Maybe, but I'm not just any Earth Kingdom soldier." Li backed up and dropped his stick, assuming a fighting stance one he was free of his weapon. "I am the Avatar, and I've come here from Ba Sing Se to defeat you and free the world from your evilness." all "fighting" stopped as the boys looked at Li.

"Why are _you_ the Avatar?" Cheng asked.

"'Cuz I said I was."

"You were the Avatar last time!" Ling whined.

"So?"

"I wanted to be the Avatar this time." another boy said. "You're always the Avatar."

"I'm the oldest," Li said, trying to defend himself. "I should get first pick on who's the Avatar. You can be the Avatar next time."

"That's what you said last time."

"Can I be the Avatar?" Kyoshi asked, hopping down from her stump and raising her hand. All the boys looked at her as if Kyoshi's hair had spontaneously combusted. "Please? I wanna be the Avatar."

"... _You_? The _Avatar_?" one of the boys asked.

"Please? You can be fighting and stuff and then I can come and make everyone not fight anymore, that way everyone has fun."

"You can't be the Avatar." Li said, stepping towards Kyoshi. "The Avatar's a boy."

"So? I can be a boy. And I can Bend, so I can be a good Avatar. Please, Li? Please can I be the Avatar?"

"No. You're the Earth Kingdom Princess. Get back in your prison."

"No." Kyoshi stomped her foot, creating a small tremor. "I don't wanna be the Earth Kingdom Princess anymore. I'm always the Earth Kingdom Princess, and I don't want to sit around while you all have fun. I wanna play with you guys. I wanna be a soldier or something, or the Avatar."

"You can't be the Avatar. You're the Earth Kingdom Princess." Kyoshi scowled up at her brother.

"No, I'm not." she said, stomping her foot again.

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm NOT!" Kyoshi shouted, stomping her foot harder and thrusting her fists downwards for emphasis. As soon as that action was complete, a pillar of rock shot out at Li, and while he managed to get out of the way in time Ling was not so lucky. The boy was knocked to the ground as the earth slammed into his face, leaving a small smear of blood behind from a split lip. Ling got to his feet and ran back towards town, bawling as he tried in vain to stop his lip from bleeding.

"I'm sorry!" Kyoshi cried out, backing up to the stump. "I-I didn't mean to do that!"

"Kyoshi, are you crazy?" Li snapped, causing Kyoshi to cringe.

"N-no! I'm sorry, Li, really! I-I'm sorry! I-I'll be the Earth Kingdom Princess now, you can be the Avatar. I'll be good!" but Li was having none of this. He grabbed his stick and began running off in a different direction.

"I'm telling Mom!"

"No! Don't tell! I'll be good, really! Please Li, d-don't do that!" tears streamed down Kyoshi's face as she tried to get her brother to stop, but Li was out of earshot. The other boys glared at Kyoshi, causing her to take a step back.

"Nice going, Kyoshi." Cheng said, pointing his stick at her. "We were having fun until you ruined everything."

"I-I didn't mean to-"

"Why can't you just be like a normal girl?" another boy asked.

"I j-just wanted to-"

"You're always causing trouble!" Cheng continued. "You and your Earthbending, you're alway breaking things and making us not have any fun! No wonder no one wants to play with you!"

"I-I..." Kyoshi could not take any more of the boys' abuse. She did not mean to hurt Ling, and they did not have to be so mean to her, but they did not care. With a wail she ran off towards the docks, her crying drowning out anything else the boys might have said to her.

...

"Mom! Mom!" Lian looked up from her work as Li came sprinting into the house. Her son was panting from the run, and he was carrying an old fence post in his right hand.

"What is it, Li?" she asked.

"Kyoshi attacked us with her Earthbending and hurt Ling!" Li pointed off towards the old field. "We were just having fun and then she hit him! Come on, Mom, you've gotta see what she did!"

"Why would she do that?" Mei asked as she walked into the kitchen. "Were you picking on her again?"

"No!"

"Mei, can I handle this please?" Lian asked. The girl nodded as Lian turned back to Li. "Where's Kyoshi?"

"Uh... probably still by the field." Li tugged on Lian's sleeve. "Come on! You've gotta do something."

"Alright. Mei, can you make sure that dinner's finished before your father gets home?"

"But Mom," Mei cried. "Cai and I were going to get ready for the festival next week!"

"Well, you'll just have to get ready after dinner."

"But Mooooom-"

"No, Mei. You know your chores come before anything else."

"You never say that to Kyoshi." Li muttered.

"That's because she get her chores done before you two. Now, show me what Kyoshi did." Li nodded and started off towards the old field, Lian following behind. She tried to think of just what had happened to set Kyoshi off; she was an Earthbender, true enough, but she was not strong to hurt someone on purpose... was she? She had been getting stronger over the last three years, and maybe she had found a way to hurt someone.

_Still doesn't explain why Kyoshi would do something like this._ The two crossed the field to the stump, and Lian noticed that while Li's friends remained, Kyoshi was not among them.

"Where's Kyoshi?" she asked.

"She ran away." one of the boys, Cheng, said. "She hit Ling and then ran away."

"Why did she hit Ling?"

"Uh..." Cheng looked to the other boys for support. "We were just playing... and she just came up and used her Earthbending to-"

"You're lying to me." Lian tried and failed to prevent a glare from forming on her face. "Do you want me to tell your mother you've been lying to me?"

"Kyoshi wanted to play with us," another boy at the back of the group piped up. "But Li said she couldn't cuz she was supposed to be the Earth Kingdom Princess. She got mad and hit Ling, and then she ran away crying." Lian turned to look at Li.

"Is this true?"

"I-it wasn't my fault-" Li began, but Lian raised her hand to silence him.

"Go home. You and I are going to have a talk about being nicer to your sister."

"But Mom-"

"Go. Now." not wanting to risk his mother's anger, Li hurried back home. The other boys decided to follow his example and go home, but Lian stopped them. "I'm not finished with you all. Where's Kyoshi?"

"She went that way." one boy said, pointing towards the docks. Lian nodded her thanks and left them, stepping onto the path and walking to town. The general lack of activity made it easy for Lian to move through the town without having to contend with crowds, and she had a good idea where Kyoshi might be.

Han had taken Mei, Li and Kyoshi down to the waterfront when Kyoshi turned three. The little girl had grown enamored with the ocean, splashing around and chasing after small fish she spotted in the surf. She also tried to use her Earthbending on some of the sand, but only succeed in creating some odd lump that she said was supposed to be a sculpture of the town hall. After that day, Kyoshi would sneak away whenever Lian or Han brought her to town, if only to get a chance to play around in the ocean again.

As Lian approached the waterfront, she saw Kyoshi seated on a rock, her back towards her mother. Occasionally she would shake from a sob, but she did not react as Lian approached. "Kyoshi?"

"Mama?" Kyoshi turned around, and Lian saw that her eyes were red and puffy from crying. "I-I'm s-s-sorry Mama. I-I-I didn't mean to-" Lian shushed Kyoshi before scooping the girl up in her arms, rocking her back and forth to get her to calm down.

"It's okay, Kyoshi. It's okay."

"But I hurt Ling. I-I didn't mean to hurt him. I... I j-just wanted to play..."

"I know." Lian looked at her daughter. "It wasn't your fault, Kyoshi."

"Yes it was. Li said I couldn't play, I got mad, and then I hit Ling with Earthbending... But it just happened! I didn't do any motions or anything!"

"You're young, and I'm sure you'll be able to control your Earthbending better once you're bigger. It's an amazing gift; you just need to work on it a little"

"But all the boys said they didn't wanna play with me 'cuz I'm an Earthbender." Kyoshi sniffled. "They said I break things and make them not have fun."

"That's a silly thing to say."

"Huh?"

"Well," Lian shifted Kyoshi around a little, so she could carry the girl better while they walked home. "When I was your age, there was a girl who lived here, and she was an Earthbender just like you."

"Really?"

"Oh yes. At first I was scared, but when I saw all the things she could do with Earthbending I couldn't help but be amazed. She and I used to go everywhere together, and her Earthbending was incredibly useful for getting out of trouble."

"Wow."

"Yes. You see, your Earthbending isn't a bad thing; you can do so much with it, and while some people might be scared by it, it's a part of you that you cannot be ashamed of." there was a pause.

"What happened to her?" Kyoshi asked. "Your friend?"

"She went to live in Omashu a year before your sister was born. I've considered writing to her, but Omashu is quite a ways away." another pause before Kyoshi spoke again.

"When I'm big, I'm gonna go to Omashu and find her for you, and then you can be friends again." Lian smiled, happy that Kyoshi was calming down and no longer crying.

"Come on, let's go home."

...

Han was having a good day. He had managed to get a bit of money from his last load of produce, more than enough for a few repairs around the house and keep his family fed for the rest of the year. He had thought he had seen Kyoshi running through town, but it was a small town and Kyoshi was not in any real danger of getting lost. As he made his way home, he took some time to admire the land surrounding the town, something he did not get to do due to the stresses of managing a farm and raising a family.

"Hello!" Han was broken from his peace of mind by someone calling to him. He looked and saw a man standing by a cart a little further up the road, an Ostrich Horse picking at a few blades of grass nearby. The man was old, probably twice as old as Han, and had a docile look about him with his long beard and bald head, but Han could see signs of a rather powerful build beneath his robes. His cart was nothing special, but Han did notice that the left wheel was broken in four pieces, the reason for why he was stopped.

"Hello." Han crossed the road and approached the man. "Do you need help?"

"Yes." the man turned to the cart. "Wasn't really paying attention to where I was going and hit a rock. Should have had the wheels checked before coming down here." the man turned back to Han, holding out his hand. "Oh, but where are my manners? My names Lau Dan."

"Han." the two shook hands before turning back to the cart. "So, what do you need me to do?"

"Just get the axle off the ground, that should be more than good." Han nodded and moved towards the cart. It was not a heavy cart, and Han was a strong man, so he was able to get it off the ground without much difficulty.

"Okay. Do you have a spare wheel somewhere?"

"Working on that." Lau Dan turned and made a circle with his hands. Han watched as Lau Dan brought his right fist up, and blinked in surprise as a stone wheel popped from the ground. _He's an Earthbender?_ "There, that should be sufficient."

"Why didn't you say you were an Earthbender?" Han asked as Lau Dan rolled the new wheel into place.

"I didn't think it would be that important." the older man spun the wheel to line it up properly, then gave it a small push so it slid onto the axle with ease. Wheel in place, Han let go of the cart, guiding it so it was back on the road.

"Not important? You could have used your Bending to fix the cart without my help."

"A wise man once told me that sometimes it was best to just wait before acting; I didn't use my Bending, and I met you, and I find meeting someone new to be a much more invigorating experience than just fixing a cart."

"... I suppose that makes sense." Lau Dan chuckled.

"You are a very interesting man, Han. I noticed that you seemed surprised when I started Bending, and not just because I did not tell you."

"Well, we don't really get to see many Earthbenders around here. The only one who lives in our town is my youngest daughter, Kyoshi."

"I'm sure she's a fine Earthbender." Han hesitated. Kyoshi had improved since she was a baby, but he and Lian had talked at length about her lack of control, especially when she got angry.

"Yes, she's learning." he said finally.

"Ah, say no more." There was a pause. "Perhaps I can meet your daughter, see if there's anything I can teach her."

"Really? You'd teach Kyoshi?"

"Han, I'm an old man, one who has seen much during my travels. One thing I have always tried to prevent is having someone not be able to control their Bending. And..." Lau Dan looked around. "Well, this seems like a nice town to live in, albeit a bit remote; teaching your daughter might give me something to do."

"But, I just met you-"

"And you helped me fix my cart without asking for anything in return. Many would have walked by without helping, but you did not. I like a man who is willing to come to the aid of others."

"I-I don't have much money to pay-"

"I have no need for money. I'll teach your daughter free of charge." Han thought for a moment. He wanted Kyoshi to learn as much as she could, but it seemed too convenient that an Earthbender would just show up and offer his help. _Perhaps the universe is conspiring against me_.

"Look," he said. "It's very tempting, but I'm just not sure if-"

"If you have any concerns, you may join us during training sessions." Lau Dan took a step forward. "Listen, I know this is a strange situation for you to be in, but remember what I said. Perhaps this is an opportunity that is opening to you, but you are the one who must seize it." Lau Dan smiled and moved to hitch his Ostrich Horse back to the cart. "There's a field I saw over on the western end of town. I'll be there tomorrow morning if you wish for me to train your daughter. Good day." Once the Ostrich Horse was hitched up, Lau Dan led his cart into town. Han did not watch him go, instead turning and heading back to his home, mulling over what had just transpired.

_This might be the only chance for Kyoshi to learn from an experienced Earthbender..._ he thought. _But I can't just entrust my daughter to him like that... I'll have to talk to Lian tonight; she'll probably have her own opinions about this._

* * *

**Kyoshi wants to be the Avatar... foreshadowing much? Nah, probably not.**

**And she knows the Pebble Dance... enemies of the Avatar, beware.**

**I don't own _Avatar_ or it's associated characters (I think I have some rights to the OCs, though). Reviews and favorites are appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

As her mother led her towards the "Training field", Kyoshi realized that she was nervous. She had been excited when Dad came home last night and said he had met an Earthbender who wanted to train her, and the prospect of learning real Earthbending kept her up for hours. However, the more she thought about it, the more it scared her; a well-trained Bender could do way more than just hit someone with an accidental pillar, and Kyoshi did not like the idea of hurting more people like that. To further add to her worry, her parents had stayed up for some time after putting Kyoshi to bed, talking about whether or not this was a good idea. Kyoshi did not mean to listen in, but it was a small house so there was no avoiding it.

Her parents were just as nervous, and that made it even worse. Parents were not supposed to be nervous; they were supposed to know everything, and thus be able to fix any problems that arose. That belief had sustained Kyoshi before, but now she felt lost.

"Kyoshi?" Kyoshi was snapped from her thoughts and looked up at her mother. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no..."

"You can tell me if you're nervous. There's nothing wrong with being nervous."

"I-I want to learn, but... what if I mess up? What if I hurt someone else and then more people get mad at me?"

"That's why we're having someone teach you Earthbending, so you don't have to worry about hurting anyone."

"But what if he doesn't do a good job? What if he's mean or something?"

"I'll be right here, Kyoshi," her mother said, giving her hand a squeeze. "If this doesn't work, we can find someone else to train you." Kyoshi was not sure if her mother was being completely honest, but she hoped that she was. Kyoshi held her mother's hand tightly, hiding behind her leg as they approached the field where the Earthbender was.

The man standing in the field was an older man, older than Kyoshi's parents. He was bald, but he did have a large fuzzy beard to make up for it. He was dressed in normal workman's clothes, and the only real distinguishing feature Kyoshi saw was a pendant dangling from his neck.

Kyoshi knew she should not be scared... but she could not suppress that feeling.

"Hello!" the man called as Kyoshi and her mother entered the field. "I am glad to see that you made it."

"You must be Lau Dan." Kyoshi's mother said, the two stopping about four yards from the man. "I'm Lian, Han is my husband."

"Well met." Lau Dan said, giving Kyoshi's mother a short bow before he turned his attention to Kyoshi. "You must be Kyoshi."

"Y-yes." she stammered, stepping out from behind her mother.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you face to face, Kyoshi. How old are you?"

"... Four." Lau Dan gave a small nod.

"You know, four is the perfect age to start Earthbending training; that way you can build up your strength and energy as you get older without having to put too much strain on your body." Kyoshi was not entirely sure she understood what he meant, but nodded nonetheless.

"You're not going to push her too hard, are you?" her mother asked.

"Of course not, my dear." Lau Dan smiled. "Today we're just going to see what Kyoshi knows, as well as teach her some basics of Earthbending." he slid his right foot forward and gave a small stomp, and a small platform of rock appeared off to Kyoshi's left. "If you'd take a seat, we'll get started." Kyoshi was reluctant to let go of her mother's hand, but the older woman gave her a reassuring smile before moving off, leaving Kyoshi standing by herself.

"Um..." she started. "What do I do now?"

"Show me what you can do." Kyoshi looked to her mother, then back to Lau Dan. She swallowed before beginning to go through her motions. She spread her arms wide and moved forward, stopping before waving them back and forth twice. That action complete, she turned right and stomped, swinging her arms once again and releasing her energy. There was a pause before a small rock floated by. Lau Dan said nothing, instead eyeing the rock as it floated by.

"Interesting technique." he said once the rock had stopped drifting and fell to the ground. "Who taught you that?"

"I made it up... mostly. My brother said that Benders do a lot of arm motions and stomping when they Bend."

"Is your brother a Bender?"

"Uh... no?"

"Then I wouldn't trust his advice." Lau Dan moved away from Kyoshi. "Bending is not wholly reliant on the motions. It relies instead on your strength and energy; the arm motions might help a boulder go where it needs to, but it takes your inner energy and your muscles to get it to move in the first place." he demonstrated his point by upper cutting the air, causing a large boulder to burst from the ground. As the boulder hung in space, he swung around on one leg, knocking the boulder to the edge of the field with a hard kick.

"... Do I have to do that?" Kyoshi asked.

"Not yet. First, let's start by teaching you how to move a rock." Lau Dan stomped, and a boulder popped up in front of Kyoshi. As Kyoshi examined the rock, Lau Dan moved over to one side to better observe her. "Now, the key to Earthbending is to remain sturdy. Of the four elements, Earth is the most static; Water is constantly shifting and changing, Fire comes and goes in the blink of an eye and can easily grow uncontrollable, and Air is impossible to hold in one place, but Earth will stay where it is until some other force acts on it, and Earth is very resistant to any force. In order to be that force, you must be just as strong as the earth itself."

"I... I think I can do that."

"Widen your stance." Kyoshi did so, shuffling her feet so they were about shoulder width apart. "Allow your energy to strengthen your arms and legs."

"Don't I have to build up my energy?"

"That comes naturally with age and practice. Swinging your arms around only dissipates your energy and directs it to where it is not needed." Kyoshi frowned. "Don't worry, it's a mistake that many beginning Benders make. Now, root your feet, strengthen your stance, and move the rock." Kyoshi looked to the rock. It was nearly a head taller than her, and probably weighed an incredible amount. Still, she wanted this to work out, so she would not have to worry about hurting anyone again.

_Please work,_ she thought. Swallowing, she swung forward and struck the rock, crying out in pain and surprise when her hand banged against the rock without so much as moving it.

"You said you weren't going to push her too hard!" her mother cried out from her seat.

"And I haven't." Lau Dan responded before turning his attention back to Kyoshi, who was now sucking her hand to try and ease the pain. "Do you know what went wrong?"

"... The rock is stupid?" she asked, drawing a chuckle from the man.

"No. You allowed the fear of failing to uproot you. You may have the perfect stance, the perfect amount of energy, and strike the rock as hard as you can, but if you allow such fear into your mind you will not be able to Bend."

"So, if I'm scared, I can't Bend?"

"No, but if you doubt your abilities, you will be unable to Bend. Try again." Kyoshi waved her still aching hand and got back into position. She took a moment to size up the rock, clenching her fists and preparing to strike.

_I can do this... I can do this._

She swung, grimacing in anticipation of more pain. But before her fist connected with the rock, her energy was released and the rock surged forward twelve feet, kicking up a large cloud of dust. Kyoshi blinked a few times, her jaw hanging open in shock.

"I did it." she said before grinning and jumping in place. "I did it! I did it! I moved a rock!"

"Congratulations, Kyoshi." Lau Dan said as Kyoshi celebrated. "Most Earthbenders at your age can only move a rock of that size a few feet. You possess much more power than I realized."

"That's good, right?"

"Oh yes. I'll explain more when you're more experienced, but for now let's move on. Resume your stance." Kyoshi did so. "Now, Earthbending is more than just moving and stopping earth you can see, but also moving earth that you _can't_ see. For this, I want you to reach out with your energy as far as you can, and then pull a clump of earth from the ground. Remember to focus your energy before acting." Kyoshi nodded and closed her eyes, reaching out with her Bending and feeling the earth beneath her. Once she left that she had reached out far enough, she focused her energy on one point in front of her and lifted her hands. She opened her eyes as a pillar of dirt burst from the ground, pebbles and clumps of soil rolling off its side.

"Very good, Kyoshi. Very good."

...

"... and then he said if I practice enough, I'd be able to do all sorts of cool things like juggle and sink into the ground and make sculptures and... and other stuff!"

"Amazing." Mei responded, not looking up from her sweeping.

"You weren't paying attention!" Kyoshi cried. Mei still did not look up, but she did pause for a moment.

"No really, it is amazing." realizing that her sister did not really care, Kyoshi slouched a little and began to walk off. This caught Mei's attention and the older girl looked up. "Kyoshi, stop. It's not time for your Earthbending lesson yet."

"But you're not even listening to what I was talking about."

"Earthbending. That's all you've been talking about for the last few weeks; it's kind of hard to ignore it." Mei sighed. "Look, I don't want to get you too confused, you're still young and all, but have you thought about _what_ you're going to use your Bending for?"

"... Helping out at harvest time?"

"C'mon, Kyoshi, you have to think bigger than that."

"... Helping other people out at harvest time?"

"You can do more than just help people plant crops and build walls." Mei returned to her sweeping. "Do you know what someone with your powers could do in Ba Sing Se or Gaoling?"

"No."

"You could be really great. You could open a school and teach other people Earthbending, or help guide others around the Earth Kingdom."

"Uh... I did want to go to Omashu and find Mom's friend so she can come back here and they can be friends again."

"See? That's something you should focus on." Mei stopped sweeping again and looked out a nearby window. "I always wanted to see Ba Sing Se, or failing that Gaoling. I want to go out there in the world, meet people-"

"But there's lots of people here."

"No, I mean new people. Important people; you know, like nobles, soldiers, merchants... the Avatar. I want people to see me and know who I am. I know that people know who I am here, but what good does that do me? It's all the same thing over and over, and I want to change that."

"But then me and Li and Mom and Dad would be here without you." Mei looked at Kyoshi.

"I'd come back sometimes... or maybe you could come with me. I'm sure you'd love a city like Gaoling or Omashu, and there you'd be able to use your Bending to its fullest." Kyoshi looked down at the floor, shuffling her feet.

"I don't know... I like it here."

"Well, you do now. Just wait until you're my age, and you'll see things differently." Kyoshi nodded and wandered out onto the porch. While she did understand that Mei liked meeting new people, she most certainly did not understand why her older sister wanted to leave home. Home was great; her parents were here, there was a beach to play around, and she knew almost everyone. Maybe meeting new people could be fun, but Kyoshi was not ready for that just yet.

She was happy to stay where she was. Like a rock.

...

"Remember to use your energy to keep your legs steady." Lau Dan said as Kyoshi rested a boulder on her shoulders. "If you rely solely on your muscles, they will fail you. Once you have a stable root, walk over to the other end of the field." Kyoshi nodded, and began to walk forward slowly. It was easy at first, but Lau Dan was not going to allow things to be too easy. As Kyoshi took her tenth step, she nearly slipped as the ground beneath her turned to sand, Lau Dan having changed it with a flick of his wrist. She raised her left foot and took a step backward, using some of her Bending to return the ground to its natural state before continuing forward.

"Very good," Lau Dan said, walking alongside Kyoshi as she moved.

"Thank you." she replied, not looking up from her destination. "What's it like outside?"

"I'm not sure if I understand, what do you mean by 'outside'?"

"Well," Kyoshi stepped to the right as Lau Dan made a break in the earth for her to trip over. "Ever since my sister turned fourteen she's been talking about going away, 'outside the village'."

"Ah, I see." Lau Dan pulled the rock of Kyoshi's shoulders and bade her sit. "Well, the rest of the world is much different from here. I haven't had the chance to go everywhere, but what I have seen is enough."

"What's it like?"

"Like here, people in the rest of the world have similar needs and wants as people here." Lau Dan sat down opposite Kyoshi before continuing. "But they also have worries, worries that are not as present as they are here. Take your home, for example; who owns it?"

"Uh... my father?"

"And why does he own it?"

"Cuz my grandfather built it."

"In some cities, it does not work like that; you may live in a house for some time, but someone else may own the building. You can pay money and have the house for yourself, but that is often very expensive and takes some time to be fully realized. People in cities have to worry about maintaining that flow of money, otherwise the owners can grow impatient and want you to leave."

"That's not very nice."

"No, it isn't." there was a pause before Kyoshi spoke again.

"But why would my sister want to go there?"

"There are some advantages to living in a city; there are celebrations, festivals and parties on a scale that you cannot see here. And cities are highly susceptible to change; you may be poor for a while, but you have a chance to get lucky and become much more powerful and wealthy. You could manage dozens of farms like your father's with ease, and become highly respectable among society."

"... Is that what my sister wants?"

"As I am not your sister, I cannot be the judge of that. All of us want power and success to some degree or another, but it is up to us to decide what that means. Do not measure yourself to someone else's standards, but rather measure yourself by your own standards." Kyoshi was silent, but nodded in understanding. "Good. Let's resume your training."

...

Kyoshi had been roped into another one of her brother's games. Once again, she had been taken prisoner, while her captors used an empty barn as their "Stronghold". As her brother and his friends fought, she waited, searching for the right moment to act.

_Just like Sifu Lau Dan said... I need to wait and listen._

"Once again you attack me," said Cheng, this session's Fire King, as he dueled with Li and Ling. "But the Fire Nation will not be defeated so easily!"

"That's what you think." Ling said, blocking another blow. "But the Earth Kingdom will never surrender to the likes of you, for we have the Avatar on our side."

"Oh, and where is your Avatar to save you?" _That should work._ Kyoshi stepped out of her "prison" and into the fray.

"Here I am!" she cried. Once again, the boys stopped fighting and looked at her, but this time she was not going to back down. "I'm the Avatar, and you all should stop fighting before I have to destroy you."

"Not this again..." one boy muttered.

"Is she gonna hurt someone again?" another asked as Li stepped forward.

"Kyoshi, you can't be the Avatar."

"Well I am. This time, the Earth Kingdom Princess was really the Avatar in disguise, and she was waiting for the Fire King to get careless and let the Avatar defeat him."

"No, that's... that's stupid. Go back to being the Earth Kingdom Princess."

"No!" Kyoshi spread her arms wide, clenched the air with her hands, and then brought her hands above her head. When the motion was complete, two large rocks were now hovering over Kyoshi's head, and the boys were stepping back as if she were about to attack them. "I am the Avatar! And I command you all to stop fighting or face my fury!" the boys looked to one another, trying to decide what to do next.

"Can she do that?" Ling asked.

"I'm pretty sure that's cheating." another boy said.

"How is it cheating... We had rules?" Cheng asked.

"Well?" Kyoshi asked, tapping her foot a few times. There was a pause before the boys slowly dropped their sticks. "Good. See? Now everyone's happy."

"... Now what are we supposed to do, O Great and Powerful Avatar?" Li asked, doing a mock bow for emphasis.

"Well, now that I've beaten you all and you're not fighting, I'd say do something that won't draw my wrath. Like... get ready for the next war so I can stop that one too, 'cuz I'm a good Avatar and don't like it when people fight."

"But why would you let us start fighting if you don't want us to fight?" Kyoshi frowned. Admittedly, she did not think that far ahead, and while the idea of lording over the boys seemed like fun, they would not want to play with her for very long after that. She began to think over her response in her head, trying to make sure she did not offend them in some way.

"Well... You guys still want to have fun, and I still want to play Avatar, but if I just made you all not fight then that wouldn't be fun for anyone but me. If you get ready to fight again, maybe I can do more in the next war." she shuffled her feet "I'll be safe with my Earthbending. I promise." the boys looked to each other again. There was a pause before they shrugged and picked up their sticks again, re-dividing into teams again while Kyoshi prepared to intervene once more.

From then on, every time the boys decided to play Earth Kingdom Soldier, Kyoshi was always the Avatar. No one complained, for she fit the role rather well. Granted, the moved on to other games where she did not get a chance to be the Avatar, but even the smallest opportunity was a welcome one.

...

One day, Lau Dan asked Kyoshi to come to training early. He did not say why, but Kyoshi was beginning to learn that it was best if she did not ask, as he had a habit of improvising and changing his lessons fairly rapidly. So she made her way down to the training grounds, nibbling on a small roll her mother had given her before she left.

"Good to see you made it, Kyoshi." Lau Dan said as she stepped into the field. Kyoshi noticed that he had a small basket sitting next to him, and guessed that whatever he planned for today involved that basket. "I hope you are not averse to getting a little wet today."

"Um... what does that have to do with Earthbending?"

"Today, we are going to work on expanding your reach, as well as your sensitivity to motion around you. For that, we'll need a change in location." Lau Dan turned and began to walk towards the beach, Kyoshi following close behind. It was not a long walk, and soon Kyoshi found herself standing on the beach, water lapping at her ankles.

"I developed this trick while watching Waterbenders just north of Ba Sing Se." Lau Dan said as he took a position to Kyoshi's right. "A skilled Waterbender can pluck a Bluefin Salmon right out of the water while it is traveling at high speed. They are able to do this by using their Bending to feel the changes in the water, and how the fish moves when pursued.

"Earthbenders are also capable of something similar; an Earthbender can use their Bending to feel tremors in the ground, making it very hard to sneak up on one. Like the Waterbenders, an Earthbender needs to listen to the earth, and then you can determine what something is before you even see it."

"So... what does that have to do with water?" Lau Dan chuckled.

"Using Earthbending to feel something moving does not have to be just on dry land." he slid back into a stance, keeping one hand over the water. "I want you to reach out with your Bending and feel the sea bed, all the rocks and sand, and everything that moves on it. When you feel something, use your Earthbending to grab it and bring it back to you. Like so." Lau Dan closed his eyes, slowly moving his hand back and forth. After two minutes, he closed his hand and pulled it into his chest, and Kyoshi watched as a small sea-trout was pulled from the surf, its body encased in a glove of sand. Satisfied with his catch, Lau Dan tossed the fish into the basket and turned to Kyoshi.

"Do you think you can do that?" he asked.

"Um..." Kyoshi stretched her hand out over the water, reaching out with her Bending and feeling the sand. Kyoshi almost pulled back due to the unfamiliar feel of the sand, but soon she was able to get used to it. Silently she waited, feeling the wash of the waves over the sand, and her arm began to tire as she held it out. But her patience was rewarded when something began to wriggle across her reach, and she quickly closed her hand around whatever it was.

"I caught something!" she cried, tightening her grip so the thing would not escape.

"Good, now pull it in before it breaks free." Kyoshi nodded and pulled her fist back, and saw as her catch was jerked from the water. It was a small grey eel, less than a foot in length, and it continued to wriggle around in her grasp. "Ah, I see you've caught a Unagi."

"_This_ is a Unagi?" Kyoshi asked, looking back at the little eel. "But it's so tiny."

"Well, it _is_ only a baby. In a few years it will probably be about the size of your house."

"Oh." there was a pause, Kyoshi continuing to watch the struggling Unagi. "Should I put it back?"

"If you want to. I've heard that Unagi is fairly tasty, but very hard to catch due to its size." Kyoshi looked at the eel once more. On one hand, seeing it squirm around was a little sad. But she was starting to get hungry, and Lau Dan said that Unagi was tasty. _Maybe it'll taste good..._

The Unagi acted before she could, however. The eel twisted around and sprayed a stream of water in Kyoshi's face, causing the girl to yelp in surprise and release her Bending. The Unagi dropped into the water and swam away, out of reach of Kyoshi's Bending.

"Aw, it got away."

"I probably should have warned you about their habit of spraying people with water." Lau Dan said. "But don't worry. I'm sure the next fish you catch won't be able to get away that easily, and remember: Earthbending is about patience, waiting for the right moment to act and preparing for what will happen."

"Like fishing?"

"Exactly. Resume your stance and try again." Kyoshi nodded and reached out with her energy once more, feeling around for fish to catch.

* * *

**Yay for Bending Training!**

**The Unagi that got away is the one that tried to eat Aang in Season 1; guess friendships aren't the only thing to transcend lifetimes**

**Still don't own ****_Avatar_**** and it's related characters. Reviews and follows are very much appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Kyoshi, can you come out here for a minute?" Kyoshi stretched and walked outside, searching around for her father. It was planting season again, and Kyoshi had to spend more and more time on the farm helping. Not that it bothered her; she enjoyed helping her family out, and it gave her a chance to make her Earthbending more precise. The only problem was that was the most Bending training she would get, as Lau Dan would cancel Kyoshi's training during harvest or planting season. Working on the farm was one thing, but she liked throwing around boulders and ripping up the earth; somehow, it made her much more relaxed.

_Well, I'll get a chance to practice later._

"Yes?" she asked as she came to the field. Her father and Li were off to one side, a few bags of seed resting by their feet. "Need me to be the Human Plow again?"

"Just for this last field, then you can finish up your other chores." Kyoshi did not point out that she had just woken up and ate breakfast, and thus had not had the chance to even start her chores, but merely nodded before turning towards the field. She reached out with her hands before bringing them down to her hips, channeling her energy into her feet. That task complete, she made a small jump forward and struck the ground with her left foot, causing a dozen furrows to form out of the ground.

"How'd you ever do this without Earthbending?" she asked, skipping out of the way as her father and Li moved forward to scatter seed.

"Well, it certainly took longer if that's what you're asking." her father replied.

"And it was funnier to watch." Li said, loud enough for Kyoshi to hear him but not loud enough so their father could hear him. Kyoshi made a face and wandered off towards the house, spotting her mother and sister getting ready for the day.

"Hey Mom?" she asked from the base of the porch. "Can I go practice my Earthbending now?"

"Did you feed the Chicken Pigs yet?"

"Uh... maybe?"

"Kyoshi, you know the rules," her mother said, coming out to face Kyoshi. "No Bending Practice until your chores are done. Besides, don't you practice enough already?"

"Sifu Lau Dan said I need to practice my stance and work on my strength every day, otherwise I won't get very far with my Bending."

"And you can practice, once your chores are done." Kyoshi frowned. "Don't give me that look, young lady. We all have a responsibility to make sure our home is nice to live in, and that we can keep living in it; would you rather I didn't mend your clothes or make your meals, or your father not fix the roof when it rains?"

"No... But if I practiced my Earthbending enough, then maybe I could fix the house without Dad having to worry about it!" her mother did not seem impressed, instead raising an eyebrow at Kyoshi's suggestion. Realizing that she was not getting anywhere, Kyoshi sighed and slouched forward slightly. "Yeah, I thought that was a dumb idea too. I'll go feed the Chicken Pigs." Kyoshi's mother gave a small nod and re-entered the house while Kyoshi grabbed a feed basket and a bucket. Her supplies gathered, Kyoshi made her way around to the back of the house, stopping only to fill the bucket with water and gather some feed.

The Chicken Pigs were waiting for her, squawking to each other at the prospect of getting food. They always waited for her, something that Kyoshi found amusing. At times she would talk to them, as they were the perfect listeners and would not do such things as interrupt her or move into topics she did not like; they wanted food, and if their caretaker wanted to speak to them, they would not stop her.

_Straightforward, predictable..._

"Hey there," she called as she approached the pen. "Hope you all are hungry." the Chicken Pigs squealed as Kyoshi began to toss food to them, careful to make sure that every one of them got something to eat. "And, just so I can do something with my Bending," she stomped and dug her toes into the ground, pulling up fresh dirt. Once she was sure she had enough, she grabbed the bucket of water and dumped it into the dirt, creating a large pile of mud. "Here's some new mud for you to play around in." The Chicken Pigs squealed again and dove in, rolling around as Kyoshi finished distributing their food. After running out of feed, Kyoshi turned and headed back towards the house, setting the basket and bucket aside for later use.

As she prepared to enter the house, she took a moment to look at her shoes. They were starting to wear thin from a combination of Earthbending practice and her own growth, and while Lau Dan said that going barefoot helped when Earthbending Kyoshi did not like the prospect of Bending with cold feet.

"Mom," she said once she stepped inside. "I think I need new shoes."

"Already?" Mei asked, staring at her mother in disbelief. "Didn't she just get those two months ago?"

"Well... yes." her mother replied, moving over to examine Kyoshi's shoes. "Kyoshi's just growing, that's all." she looked at Kyoshi, "You're certainly tall for your age."

"That's a good thing, right?" Kyoshi asked.

"Well, Dad did say he wanted to replace the door frame a few weeks ago; maybe Kyoshi will walk into it and he'll have a good excuse." Mei muttered, but unlike Li she did not have full mastery of being inaudible.

"Hey!" Kyoshi cried. "I wouldn't do that!"

"At least not on purpose." Mei countered.

"Mom! Mei's picking on me! Tell her I won't walk into the door frame."

"Well..." her mother shrugged. "My grandmother said that clumsiness was an inherited trait..."

"MOM!"

"I'm just teasing, Kyoshi," she gave the young girl a smile. "I'm sure you won't walk into any door frames." Kyoshi was still upset, but since her mother and older sister were not actively malicious in their teasing she was willing to let it pass. She checked her shoes one more time and began to wander back outside before her mother called. "When you do finish your chores, don't go too far; Dad and I have to go into town later and Mei's watching over you and Li until we get back."

"Okay."

"Mom, Cai said she wanted to talk to me about a few things." Mei said. "Is it okay if she comes over while you're out of town?"

"I don't see any problem with that." Kyoshi's eyes widened a little while her mother kept talking. "Although you don't really have to ask me; you _are_ old enough to live on your own."

"Well... yeah, but I'm not living on my own right now, so I'm still going to ask for your permission."

"Fair enough."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Kyoshi asked. As much as she liked Cai, she and her sister tended to use Kyoshi as a model for whatever odd clothing design or makeup pattern they thought up. It had been more prevalent when they were younger, but Kyoshi's suffering was a constant.

At her question, both Mei and her mother burst out laughing.

"Kyoshi, I think you've been spending too much time around your father." her mother said as she tried to recover her breath.

"'Don't I get a say in this'!" Mei giggled. "You're adorable when you act grown up, Kyoshi."

"Hey! Stop picking on me again!"

"Sorry, Kyoshi." the two apologized, although they were still grinning. Kyoshi gave a pout and continued on outside, moving towards the field where her father and Li were working.

"Dad, Mom and Mei are picking on me." she said once she reached the field.

"Oh? What did they say this time that made you think that?"

"Well, first they said I was clumsy and might bang into the door frame or something, and then when I asked if I had any say in Mei's friends coming over and dressing me up they laughed at me." Kyoshi's father gave a small chuckle, but composed himself when he saw his daughter's frustrated look.

"It's something you should get used to, Kyoshi. I know my parents had a few jokes at my expense, but when I got older I came to appreciate them more." Kyoshi nodded, but she was still a bit irritated at her mother and sister's teasing.

"Am I clumsy?"

"I wouldn't say that, you just tend to get... forgetful."

"Like when she crushed the fence with a boulder last year?" Li asked, trying to get at least one comment into the conversation.

"Mom wanted to talk to me." Kyoshi defended herself, but their father raised his hand to silence them before they got into an argument.

"As I was saying, sometimes you get a little forgetful, but then we all do at some point or another. I'm sure you'll grow out of it in a year or two."

"And if you don't, we'll just have to reinforce the house with metal." Li added, drawing another frown from Kyoshi. She decided to let it pass and moved back towards the Chicken Pig pens, thinking over just what she was going to do once Cai arrived.

_Maybe I could use my Earthbending to make a hole to hide in..._ She thought, a smile spreading across her face. _Yeah, that's what I'll do!_

...

Lau Dan had not been expecting visitors, so when he heard a knock at his door it almost caught him off guard. Setting aside his Pai Sho set, he made himself presentable before moving towards the door and opening it. Standing outside was another man, finely dressed with a gold ring etched with the symbol of a flying boar. Behind him was a cart filled with various goods, which was being watched over by a younger man and a few servants. "May I help you?"

"My name is Xin Beifong." the man said, introducing himself. "My son Zheng and I were passing through the area in search of Earthbenders, and a man in town said you were the one to speak to."

"If you wish to hire my services as a mercenary, I'm sorry to say that I have no interest in killing anyone." the man chuckled.

"I'm not looking for hired hands. You see, I have always been fascinated by Earthbending, although I am not a Bender myself. I wanted to do some research to better understand the art, and after hearing what an accomplished Bender you were I was hoping you could show me a few things." Beifong was not being entirely honest, but Lau Dan knew that the man meant no ill will.

"I might be able to think of something. Would you come in?" Lau Dan opened the door wider, gesturing for Beifong to enter. The man nodded his thanks before turning back to the others.

"Zheng, stay with the cart; I shouldn't be long."

"Yes father." the young man replied as Xin entered, Lau Dan closing the door behind them. The newcomer took a moment to examine the room, eyes drifting towards the Pai Sho set.

"Very homey." he said finally. "I must say, it's a change from the houses of Gaoling."

"I've been to Gaoling before." Lau Dan said. "I must agree with you, although I've found simple pleasures to be more rewarding than extravagance."

"To each his own, I suppose." Xin eyed the Pai Sho set again. "I see you're also a Pai Sho enthusiast."

"As much as possible. To be honest, I haven't had a chance to play in some time; while I may like this town, not many know how to play Pai Sho well."

"A shame." a pause. "Perhaps you would like to play a game, just to warm up your skills."

"I see nothing wrong with that." Lau Dan escorted Xin towards the table before gathering up the various tiles, splitting them evenly before passing half to the other man. "The guest has the first move." Xin nodded before searching through the tiles. When he found what he was looking for, he drew it from the stack and placed it into the center of the table.

It was a White Lotus tile, battered from use but still recognizable.

"I see you favor the White Lotus gambit." Lau Dan said, cupping his hands and giving a short bow. "Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

"Those that do can always find a friend." Xin replied, repeating the action. The greeting exchanged, the two men began to place tiles around the edge of the board, neither one speaking until they were finished. As the last tile was place, Lau Dan checked the tiles to make sure that they were in the right order. The suspicion confirmed, he looked up to his guest.

"Welcome, Brother. The White Lotus opens wide for those who know her secrets." he gave another bow. "Although I must say, I did not expect to meet another member this far south."

"Is that why you came here?" Xin asked.

"No. I was drawn here by something, call it fate or longing, whichever makes you happier." Xin nodded as Lau Dan continued. "But as you are here, what may I do to assist you?"

"The Order has sent me and others like me to search the Earth Kingdom for the next Avatar." there was a pause.

"So it's true then. Kuruk has fallen."

"Seven years ago, give or take a few days. I'm surprised you did not know this."

"I was travelling during that time, and I have been here as well; I cannot say that I am incredibly well informed." Lau Dan stroked his beard for a moment. "Have you found anything?"

"Leads, most of them false or insufficient." Xin sighed. "I have traveled all over the Western Earth Kingdom, and I do not have much to show for it. Not including the numerous nobles hoping to claim some prestige by siring the Avatar, I found two children who show above average skill with Earthbending, one sandbender who claims to have seen visions of Yangchen and Kuruk, and a boy in Gaoling claimed to have used Firebending as an infant."

"I take it he could not repeat the performance?"

"No, he could not." Xin sighed again. "When I return to Gaoling, I shall have to explain to the Order that I did not find anything."

"I'm sure that it's not that bad."

"Two years ago I would have agreed with you, but things are changing. There have been grumblings against the Earth King, and the number of rogues and highwaymen is increasing dramatically. If the Avatar is not found, then the world may fall out of balance."

"I know." there was a pause.

"What of here?" Xin asked. "Have you met anyone who could be the Avatar?"

"Just one; a girl by the name of Kyoshi. I've been training her for the last three years. She's powerful, and getting stronger every day, but other than that she has not shown any other signs of being the Avatar."

"Perhaps you are not looking for the right signs." Xin said. "I would like to meet this girl and determine for myself, if you don't mind."

"Of course not, just as long as you remember not to tell her anything about the Avatar."

"I am willing to keep quiet on the subject, if only for her sake if she does turn out to be the Avatar." Lau Dan nodded before continuing.

"How long will you stay here?"

"Depends on how Kyoshi reacts; it may take a week, it may take me until the end of summer."

"I see." another pause. "It's planting season, so I have suspended Kyoshi's training for the next month or so. After that, you may sit in on one of our training sessions if you so wish."

"That would be sufficient. Perhaps I could meet Kyoshi, get a chance to learn who she is?"

"I don't see any harm in that. Come back in an hour and I shall take you to see her."

"Thank you."

...

Kyoshi's plan to hide had failed, miserably. First, the hole she tried to construct was too shallow, and her efforts to make it deeper only resulted in making a very noticeable mess. She tried to get rid of the dirt, but that had disturbed the Chicken Pigs, and calming them down wasted enough time that when she was finished, her parents were gone and Cai was already coming up the road.

They found her soon after, and decided to make her look "cute".

Two hours of enduring their ideas of "cute", and Kyoshi managed to slip away to practice her Bending. She considered washing some of the makeup off her face, but decided she had wasted enough time and needed to practice. Two stomps produced two boulders, and Kyoshi began to go through several routines that she and Lau Dan had worked on.

She was about to work on splitting a rock in half when she felt something. She felt a presence, as if someone was watching her practice. Grabbing a chunk or rock in her hand, Kyoshi turned around, prepared to defend herself if the need arose. But as she turned, the presence merely turned with her. "Is someone there?" she asked.

There was no answer, and Kyoshi felt the presence leaving her. She shuddered, dropping her rock and relaxing her Bending. Not wanting to risk having the presence come back, Kyoshi collapsed her practice boulders and headed toward home. Her parents should have been back from town by now, and while that did mean Kyoshi would have to do more chores, at least she did not have to endure any more "cute".

As she approached home, she noticed something different. A cart was outside, guarded by several men. They did not pay attention to her as she approached, instead focusing on the cart and its contents. _Guards?... Mom and Dad aren't in trouble, are they?_ She quickened her pace, using a small amount of Earthbending to give herself an extra boost. She hurried up the steps, dusting her shoes off before entering and finding her parents seated at the dinner table, talking with Lau Dan and two men Kyoshi did not recognize.

"Oh, Kyoshi, we were just talking about you." her mother said when she entered. "This is Xin Beifong and his son Zheng; they've come from Gaoling to learn a bit about Earthbending."

"Really?" Kyoshi asked, looking to the newcomers. "Are you new to Earthbending too?"

"Well, I'm not a Bender," Xin began "But I've always been fascinated by it. Call it a hobby, if you will."

"Oh, okay." Kyoshi was a bit confused, but did not let that confusion show.

"Anyway, your parents were telling me that you are a very talented Bender." Xin smiled. "Perhaps sometime you'd like to give me a demonstration?"

"Um..." Kyoshi looked to her parents, unsure of how to proceed. They just smiled and gave her a nod, and that increased her fortitude quite a bit. "Okay."

"Wonderful. I know you and your parents must tend to your home for the season, but I will be around once you're finished."

"I could do some Bending now, if you want." Kyoshi's energy was beginning to build up; she loved getting a chance to use her Earthbending and show other people what she could do, and now was the perfect time.

"No, Kyoshi." Lau Dan said, raising a hand to calm her. "Your Bending can wait. Besides, I have a few things of my own that I need to take care of before resuming your training." Kyoshi gave a disappointed frown, but did not press the matter. She gave a nod and moved towards her room, the adults picking up their conversation as if she had not even been there.

As she stepped into her room, she felt the odd presence following her again.

* * *

**New chapter (yay me). So, more stuff with Kyoshi as a child, and the Order of the White Lotus is expressing interest... as is someone else, apparently.**

**I know these chapters have been a bit slow, but I want to set up Kyoshi's character and backstory before I get to the glowing.**

**I don't own ****_Avatar_**** and it's associated characters. Reviews and favorites are appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Kyoshi's mind was drawn back to her first day of Earthbending training, specifically the nervousness. While she trusted Lau Dan, this other man was completely alien to her. He said he was interested in Bending, but Kyoshi's mind told her that there was more to him than he let on. Was he a spy, searching for Earthbenders to eliminate to avoid meddling in his master's plans?

_No, that'd be stupid,_ she thought. _He certainly doesn't look evil._ Yet as she approached the training field, her nervousness and suspicion was reaching a peak.

"Welcome, Kyoshi." Lau Dan said as Kyoshi entered the field, giving her a short bow. Kyoshi returned the bow and stood ready for whatever Lau Dan had planned, although her eyes began to drift towards where Xin was seated. "You seem rather nervous."

"Well... yes, I am."

"You must remember to stay focused on the task at hand. Take whatever is making you nervous and remove it from your mind." Kyoshi nodded and took a stance, reaching out with her Bending. She did her best to block out her feelings about Xin before beginning her Bending practice, wrenching a boulder from the ground and spinning it around her body once. When it returned to sitting in front of her, she took a step forward and punched, sending the rock sliding down the field.

"Your basics appear to be fine." Lau Dan said. "Now, I want to see if you can Bend earth that you have only had minimal contact with." he gave a stomp, and Kyoshi found herself standing on a platform ten feet in the air. "Jump down, and use your Bending to cushion your fall."

"..." Kyoshi looked down. The ground seemed to fall away the longer she looked, as if a Buzzard Wasp had grabbed her and was carrying her away. While she could feel the ground below her, it was a very faint feeling that she had trouble focusing on.

_You can do this, Kyoshi..._ She swallowed and pushed as much of her energy into her legs as possible before leaping.

Kyoshi's fall seemed to last for a lot longer than it should have. It was as if the world around her had slowed down, pulling her along with it. She focused more of her energy into her feet, waiting for the perfect moment to release. As she fell, she thought she could feel the odd presence behind her, but pushed it out of her mind just before she struck the ground.

As her feet brushed against the ground, she released all of her stored-up energy. A massive crater formed beneath her feet as she landed, chunks of earth flying out in all directions. Every bone in Kyoshi's body rattled around, and the force on her body caused her to bend downwards, but her strength and energy held. When she fully came to a stop, she took a moment to regain her energy before giving herself a small boost to leap out of the hole.

"Very impressive." she heard Xin say. "I've never seen a Bender of your age pull off something like that."

"Really?"

"Well, your form was a bit messy, something we can fix in due time," Lau Dan said. "But I have to agree; I have not seen many Benders at your age that can do that." Kyoshi smiled; she did not like to gloat too much, but she liked it when she knew she was out performing other Benders. Still smiling, she turned around and swept her hands towards each other, causing excess dirt to fill in the crater she created.

As she filled in the crater, Kyoshi began to think. _This man wants to know more about Earthbending... maybe I could try something special to impress him._ Once the crater was filled, she turned and faced Lau Dan. "Sifu Lau Dan, I would like to try something."

"Oh?" Lau Dan asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Well, I figured since Mr. Beifong wanted to see what I can do, maybe I should try and push myself just a little further."

"Well, it might be a bit dangerous; you could push yourself too far and injure yourself." Lau Dan shrugged. "But I don't see why you shouldn't give it a try. Just remember not to overwork yourself." Kyoshi nodded, reaching out with her Bending once again.

Four years of continuous practice had given her much more energy to work with. Kyoshi stretched her arms out as far as possibly, reaching deep into the earth and allowing her energy to flow through her body. For two minutes she waited, tightening her muscles in preparation and closing her eyes to focus.

When she opened her eyes again, she was ready.

Kyoshi swept her arms upwards, curling her hands into fists once they were over her head. Three massive boulders, each the size of a fruit cart, were ripped out of the ground, each hovering over Kyoshi's head. Once she managed to stabilize them, Kyoshi flicked her hands open, causing the boulders to break apart into smaller chunks. She then used her Bending to spin the rocks around and around, speeding them up until they began to orbit her fast enough to kick up a small dust cloud. While using her left hand to maintain the orbit of the rocks, Kyoshi pulled the dust towards her and forced it together, adding yet another rock to the ring circling her.

As the ring around her stabilized, Kyoshi reached out again with her energy. Mentally she chided herself for trying something so risky, but she ignored that voice for now. With a stomp two more boulders broke the surface of the ground, and they too were broken apart and set in orbit around her, the two rings of earth never intersecting with one another. Kyoshi would have grinned in excitement if she were not so focused, and once again she reached out and tore another pair of boulders from the ground. She did not break these apart, instead choosing to bring her hands together and compressed them down to half their size. A small bead of sweat had formed on her brow, but she dared not wipe it away, less her concentration be broken.

Deep down, Kyoshi felt like she could do more. But for now, she was satisfied with this. With a twist of her hands, the rocks stopped moving and began to pull together, reforming the boulders that she had broken. Once the boulders were rebuilt, Kyoshi returned them to their original resting spots, taking a deep breath and calming her energy once she was finished.

"Well," Lau Dan said after a long pause. "That was certainly impressive."

"Indeed." Xin added. "Tell me Kyoshi, did you ever do anything like that when you were younger?"

"Um... I did tear up our porch when I was a baby." Kyoshi shuffled her feet around. "Does that count?" both of the men chuckled before Xin responded.

"In a sense, I suppose it does." he gave her a smile. "But don't let my comments interrupt you. Please, continue." Kyoshi nodded and resumed her stance, reaching out once again with her Bending.

As she continued to practice, she failed to notice the exchange of looks between Lau Dan and Xin Beifong.

...

Another practice session came. After completing her initial warm-ups, Kyoshi once again tested the limits of her Bending, this time using non-earth platforms to practice Bending without touching the ground. It was a difficult task, and Lau Dan had to intervene a few times to make sure she did not hurt herself, but she was beginning to get the hang of it.

"So tell me, Kyoshi," Mr. Beifong said as Kyoshi moved a large boulder while standing on a wooden chair. "When you finish Bending, do you ever feel incredibly tired?"

"No sir." she said, giving a punch that exploded the boulder she was moving. "Am I supposed to?"

"Well, most of the Benders I have met said they felt fatigued after practice when the first started Bending. You see, their energy reserves were not fully developed yet, so they would often push themselves beyond their limits."

"Well, Sifu Lau Dan trained me to 'conserve my energy when Bending and to be patient when moving earth'."

"I see." Xin moved around while Kyoshi wrenched another boulder from the ground. "I've heard of the other Bending disciplines and how they can be affected by different factors in the environment around them, like Waterbenders having increases in strength when the moon is out. Have you ever experienced anything like that?" Kyoshi held the boulder in place with one hand and thought for a moment.

"Well... No, not really. I mean, it _feels_ like I have more energy during the day, but I've never done any more than I usually do... well, I've never tried, other than that last time with the-"

"Yes, your display when I first observed you." Kyoshi turned back to the boulder in front of her, quartering it and rearranging the pieces. "Have you ever had any dreams about your Bending?"

"... Kind of. Sometimes I dream I'm standing on a big mountain, and I can see the entire Earth Kingdom. Sometimes I start Bending while I'm on the mountain, and... Well, it's kinda silly, but sometimes the Avatar shows up and he helps me with my Bending."

"The Avatar?"

"Uh huh. I've never seen him before, so he looks like my father even though he shouldn't look like my father, but I know it's him... is that weird?"

"There are many people who have had dreams and visions of the Avatar. Tell me, Kyoshi, what do you know of the Avatar?"

"Uh... I pretended to be him when I was younger." Xin laughed.

"I'm sure we all have at one point or another. But what else do you know of him?"

"Um... he's a powerful Bender, and... he likes to go to parties?" Xin gave Kyoshi a look as the girl explained herself. "That's what my sister told me. He likes to go and be with kings and nobles and such."

"True, one of the Avatar's duties is to act as a mediator between the leaders of the Four Nations." Xin moved around Kyoshi. "Would it pain you to know that he died seven years ago?" Kyoshi blinked, and almost lost control of her boulder. The Avatar was dead? The Avatar could not be dead. Kyoshi regained her focus before answering.

"... He can't be dead, can he?"

"It's a sad fact, but it's true."

"But... who will maintain balance now that he's gone?"

"A new Avatar will rise from here in the Earth Kingdom in due time." There was a pause.

"Well, whoever it is, I hope they do a good job."

"I hope so too. But don't allow my talk of death distract you." Kyoshi nodded and split the boulder back into its original quarters before tearing several more from the ground. From there, she began to weave the chunks around the still intact boulders, increasing their speed until they were almost a blur.

Her mind kept drifting off to the conversation with Xin. His interest in Bending did seem odd, and Kyoshi made a note to ask Lau Dan more about some of the things the other man had talked about.

And once again, she missed a slight glance from Xin.

...

Kyoshi had noticed something off. It seemed that Mei was around less and less, and when she was at home she acted... weird. Sometimes she would stumble over what she wanted to say, and other times she would just stand there, looking off into space. Kyoshi had asked her about what was wrong, but Mei always responded "You'll understand when you're older."

Kyoshi did not like not understanding.

"Mom?" Kyoshi asked one day, while Mei was in town with Li. "What's wrong with Mei?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she's been acting all weird and stuff, just standing around and messing up what she wants to say. Is she sick or something?"

"No, Mei's not sick." her mother turned away for a moment. "Although that Beifong boy might have something to do with it."

"Should I beat him up?"

"Kyoshi! Why would you want to do something like that?"

"Well, he's doing something to Mei, and it's making her all weird. So if I beat him up then maybe Mei will get better." her mother shook her head at this, causing Kyoshi to frown slightly.

"I swear, I think you draw too many negative things from your brother." she turned to face Kyoshi again. "I think Mei might be attracted to Zheng."

"Like... all that stuff she talked about, meeting some rich person and going to live in Gaoling or Omashu or Ba Sing Se?"

"I suppose, although she hasn't talked about that since she was your age."

"But why? Why would she want to leave here?"

"Kyoshi, there comes a time in all of our lives where we feel the need to go out into the world, to forge our own destinies." she sighed. "I was like you, and I didn't want to go too far from here, but your grandfather was originally from Whale Tail Island and traveled the Earth Kingdom before your father was born and he settled here. Mei's trying to find her place in life, and in nine or ten years you'll have to as well."

"But I like it here; everyone knows me and there's lots of places for me to Earthbend, and you and Dad are here too and I like helping you."

"More than Bending?"

"Well... no, but I still like helping." Kyoshi's mother gave a small smile as the girl continued. "Does that mean I know my destiny?"

"Probably not. Most of us never really learn our destinies until we're much older; _I'm _not even sure what my destiny is." Kyoshi's eyes widened. She was surprised that her mother was still not set in life, as she was an adult and adults were usually not the ones to change their mind. "But you shouldn't worry about Mei; she'll find her way in due time. Maybe it has something to do with this boy, maybe it doesn't. We'll just have to be patient and see how things work out."

"... Does that mean I can go spy on Mei?" Her mother laughed.

"No, you can't go spy on Mei; we need to respect her privacy and let her decide what to do with her life. Would you like it if I meddled around and made it so you only knew basic Earthbending?"

"... No."

"This wouldn't be any different. I trust Mei to know her limits, and I don't want to be like some overprotective mother who plans out my childrens' lives ten years in advance."

"... There's people that do that?"

"I met a few when I was your age, but they didn't stay here for very long."

"Oh..." Kyoshi still did not like the situation. Mei was her sister, and while she did try to make Kyoshi "cute", the younger girl still cared for her and did not want anything bad to happen.

She was about to wander off when Mei and Li returned, a few baskets full of vegetables tucked under their arms. "Well, we're back." Li said, setting his basket down on the table.

"You make it sound like we'd scaled the walls of Ba Sing Se." Mei said, setting her own basket down.

"Well, with you just taking your sweet time strolling through the market, it's a miracle we got home before dark."

"It's because of that Zheng guy." Kyoshi said. Li raised an eyebrow in confusion and Mei blushed furiously, trying and failing to look composed.

"T-That has nothing to do with anything." Mei said, but Kyoshi was not about to let this drop that quickly.

"Is he doing something weird to you?"

"Kyoshi, that's enough." her mother snapped, and Kyoshi quieted down. Li looked to both of his sisters before sighing and beginning to unload the produce.

"Why is it that girls always get weird suspicions whenever a guy comes into town?" he asked no one in particular, but his comment did draw a glare from everyone else in the room. "What? It's true; Mei acts all lovey-dovey and Kyoshi gets paranoid. I'm just seeing a pattern here."

"I'm not paranoid." Kyoshi muttered.

"Sure you aren't." Li looked at Mei. "Look, why don't you just tell him that you like him and get it over with?"

"Li!" their mother redirected her frustration from Kyoshi to Li. "Your sister will take this at the pace she wants to, and I will not have you pressure her into doing anything she doesn't want to."

"Mei's not Kyoshi, Mom; I can't really pressure her into doing anything."

"Hey!" Kyoshi cried, indignant that she could be "pressured", but her siblings and mother ignored her.

"But it is my life." Mei countered. "I never tell you to stay home instead of running off with your friends."

"Actually, you kind of do." Li said, drawing a huff from Mei.

"All of you, cut this out." the three children looked at their mother. "You might think you're acting concerned for your siblings, but you're really just intruding on Mei's privacy. Li, Kyoshi, go finish up your chores, and I don't want to hear any more of this." Li and Kyoshi nodded, the two walking outside and down into the yard.

"I don't get pressured." Kyoshi muttered, glaring at Li out of the corner of her eye.

"What about that one time I told you to put that nest of Spider Flies in Mei's room?" Li asked. Without even looking at her brother, Kyoshi swept her right hand towards him, a wad of dirt flying up and striking him in the face. Li dusted himself off and walked away, muttering under his breath. Once he was gone, Kyoshi snuck up the porch and pressed her ear against the door.

"You didn't have to snap at them like that." she heard Mei said.

"They need to learn to respect other people's privacy." her mother replied. "I know I've put up with my share of people invading my personal affairs. I swear, the last few months before I married your father were absolutely terrible." there was a pause.

"Actually, Mom... I-I was wondering if I could ask you for... advice." there was another pause, and Kyoshi could hear her mother turning towards Mei.

"If you need my help, I'm always here."

"But what you said-"

"That's different; you're inviting me in and not letting me just force my way into your life. So, what is it?" yet another pause, and Kyoshi had to readjust her position so she could keep listening.

"Well... I do like him, Mom. Zheng's the only boy... well, young man, I guess, but he's the only one who's ever treated me as more than just 'Mei'. He's nice, he tells me about all these wonderful things he's done, he listens to what I say-"

"Mei. I know what it's like to be a girl at your age and be really attached to someone."

"I know you know, but... well, he asked me if I'd like to go to Gaoling with him." Kyoshi blinked. Mei really was not considering going to Gaoling... was she?

"And what did you say?"

"Well... I told him I'd think about it, and... Well, I don't know what to do, Mom."

"Isn't that what you always wanted, though? To go to Gaoling or Omashu and mingle with nobility and other powerful people?"

"Well, yes... but I don't want anything to go wrong. What if something does go wrong?"

"If something does go wrong, we are always here to help you. But I have faith in your abilities, Mei; you are a smart, pretty young woman, and I think you are more than capable of forging your way in life and overcoming whatever you encounter." Kyoshi could not listen anymore. She went back into the yard, staring out at the village.

_ Mei wants to leave this... leave us._ Kyoshi noted that a small tear had formed in her left eye, but dismissed it. _She can't leave me... can she?_

_ We all need to leave sometimes,_ a voice whispered at the back of Kyoshi's mind, too small for her to notice.

...

A few weeks had passed. Although her Bending was powerful, Kyoshi did not have the precision to help out with all the chores at harvest time. While it did free up some time for her to practice with Lau Dan, it also gave her more time to think, and all she could think about was Mei and this Zheng. Would Mei leave and go to Gaoling, and if she did would she ever come back? Would Li go after her and leave Kyoshi and her parents alone?

As summer came to a close, Kyoshi found herself wishing that nothing had happened that year. She liked things simple, straightforward, and these relationships and plans of leaving were too confusing for her.

"Kyoshi?" Lau Dan asked her one day during Bending practice. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine." Kyoshi replied, trying to focus on the boulder in front of her. If she felt so inclined, she would have repeated the performance she had given to Xin Beifong when he had first arrived, but she instead gave a lazy punch that sent the boulder skidding across the field.

"I do not wish to pry into your personal life, but I've noticed that your Bending has been off for a few weeks now. Are you feeling ill?"

"No..." Kyoshi bit her lip, trying to decide if she should tell Lau Dan what was troubling her. "I... I'm just confused. Mei wants to go to Gaoling with the Beifongs, but then she wouldn't be here anymore. I know everyone's been telling me that we need to find our own way in life, but I don't know why anyone would want to do that away from here."

"Sometimes our destinies differ from what society would lead us to believe."

"But why? What if I never see her again?" there was a pause before Lau Dan sat down.

"Come, sit." Kyoshi hesitated, but eventually she sat down in front of Lau Dan. "Have you ever heard of the Great Comet?"

"Um... yes? It's this big fiery thing that comes every hundred years?"

"Indeed. In fact, it should return within the next five years, give or take. The Fire Nation has a tale about the origins of the comet that I think you should hear."

"Is this going to take very long?"

"Why? Are you going somewhere?" Kyoshi frowned, but did not say anything. Lau Dan took a moment to adjust his position before continuing. "After the World was formed, and long before humans walked upon its surface, Tui and La, the Moon and Ocean Spirits, decided to leave the Spirit World and take mortal forms. This left Agni, the Sun, alone to rule the heavens, and although he possessed great power he became lonely. None of the other spirits could rule by his side as the Moon and Ocean had, and he did not wish to join his friends on the newly forged earth and thus risk his destruction.

"Before he sank too far into his despair, the Mother of Faces approached Agni and made an offer: in exchange for help locating her son, Koh, the Mother of Faces would give Agni his own son to rule at his side. Agni accepted, and the Mother of Faces used a portion of her own power mixed with his to create what we know at the Great Comet, whom Agni named Koichi. Agni adored his son, and the two were able to rule together for many centuries.

"But the story of Agni and Koichi ended violently. Vaatu, a spirit of chaos and destruction, tricked Koichi into believing that Agni wished to destroy the comet. When Agni denied this, Koichi grew angry and attacked Agni. Their battle was vicious, on a scale that would make most wars today seem rather tame. Agni and Koichi were prepared to burn the world as punishment for what they saw as the others sins, and thousands of spirits cried out in terror as the two clashed.

"Tui and La saw the war between the Sun and the Comet, and when they failed to calm the two they called out to Raava, the spirit of light and order, and pleaded for her help. With their combined strength, they separated Agni and Koichi and subdued Vaatu, banishing him so that his schemes would reach no one. Upon seeing the destruction caused by their battle, Koichi begged Agni for forgiveness. Agni was willing to forgive, but Raava judged that Koichi would still be punished for choosing to attack Agni rather than seeking a more peaceful option."

"But Koichi was tricked," Kyoshi said. "How was he supposed to know if there was a peaceful option or not?"

"Just because one is tricked does not mean they always react violently; Koichi had the opportunity to verify if Agni or Vaatu was lying to him, but he chose to attack his father instead. Raava decided that the best way to make sure that no further destruction happened was for Koichi to be banished. She was prepared to carry out her sentence when the Mother of Faces appealed to Raava, asking the spirit to be more lenient. She too had lost a son to violent disagreement, and did not wish to see another family broken up in such a way.

"Raava was moved by the Mother of Faces' appeal, so she amended Koichi's sentence; he would still be banished, but every hundred years he would be allowed to return for one day so Agni and he would be together again, if only for a short period of time."

"That's still not fair; Koichi said he was sorry, but they still got separated. Why didn't Raava just let him go so he could be with Agni?"

"The realm of the spirits operates on a different set of laws than ours; what may seem unjust to us would be perfectly logical to them. But justice is not the only point of the story," Lau Dan adjusted his position once again. "What I want you to remember is that even though Koichi and Agni are separated for some time, they will always be reunited with one another. Likewise, if your sister does decide to leave, she may be gone for months, possibly years, but you will find each other again."

"You really think so?"

"I know so. There are many people in my life I have yet to find again, but I know that I shall, one way or another." Kyoshi felt her spirits rising. Her unease still remained, but she was beginning to understand better. This was not a permanent thing; Mei would come back, and their family would be whole again. With a smile, she stood back up and gave Lau Dan a bow of respect.

"Thank you, Sifu Lau Dan." she said.

"You are welcome, Kyoshi. Now," Lau Dan stood and tore another boulder from the ground. "Let's return to your practices."

...

Kyoshi had found a quiet spot near the cove where Lau Dan had taken her fishing. It was not as big as the training field, but the sand and loose earth provided Kyoshi with a few different Bending challenges. It also allowed her a place to think, somewhere without a lot of distractions that she could use to be at peace.

"Kyoshi?" Kyoshi turned and saw Mei walking towards her. "Mom was wondering where you were, so I decided to come look for you."

"... Am I in trouble?"

"No, Mom's just concerned." Mei sat down next to Kyoshi, trying to make eye contact with the younger girl. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I was just thinking about things." Kyoshi pulled a clump of dirt out of the ground and formed it into a small rock. "Are you going to go to Gaoling?" there was a pause.

"I... I don't think so."

"Really?"

"No." Mei sighed and looked out at the ocean. "I mean, I'd really like to go to Gaoling, and Zheng did ask, but... well, I thought about it and I realized I wasn't quite ready to just leave you all here. Maybe in a year or two, I'll go out to Gaoling and live there, but right now..."

"You want to stay here?" Kyoshi asked, trying to finish Mei's sentence.

"I... I guess." there was a long pause, the two sisters continuing to look out across the water.

"Mei, if you did leave... I'd be okay with that." Mei looked at Kyoshi.

"Why?"

"Well, at first I wasn't okay with it, and I wanted you to stay here and not go away, but Sifu Lau Dan told me that no one really goes away forever; we'd still see each other again, sooner or later."

"Really?"

"Uh huh. And if you did leave, and you were happy, I'd be happy too." she looked down at the rock in her hand, taking a moment to smooth out any imperfections. "I mean, we haven't always been nice to each other... and you've tried to make me cute, but you're still my sister, and I want you to be happy."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Kyoshi. Spirits know that I'd want you or Li to be happy if you decided to leave-"

"I'm not going anywhere. I like it here." there was another pause before Kyoshi tossed her rock towards the water, reaching out with her Earthbending to make sure that it stayed level before striking the water. The angle at which the rock struck the water caused it to bounce off the surface of the water, skipping off into the distance before sinking beneath the water.

"You want to try?" Kyoshi asked Mei, pulling another chunk of earth from the ground and smoothing it out.

"Oh, I'm not sure if I could do something like-"

"No, you can; I tried it a few times without my Bending." Kyoshi placed the rock in Mei's hand and lead her to the water's edge. "What you want to do is just give your wrist a flick." Kyoshi demonstrated the technique. "The rock's gotta be nice and smooth too, and small so it doesn't just sink to the bottom. Go on, try it." Mei looked to the rock in her hand, and then to Kyoshi. With a small swallow, she pulled her hand back and tossed the rock, managing to skip it twice before it sank.

"Hey, I did it!" she chuckled.

"Great! You just need to practice more and maybe someday you'll be as good as me."

"I'm no Bender, I'll never be as good as you."

"That's why I said 'maybe'." Mei chuckled, and Kyoshi formed several more rocks for them to skip. As she and her older sister continued with their play, Kyoshi felt as if a great weight was being lifted off her shoulders. While Mei might be staying for now, she knew that a time might come when she did leave, but Kyoshi was not going to allow those facts to cloud her judgment and make her unhappy.

For now, she would enjoy the time she had with her sister.

...

Lau Dan ushered Xin Beifong in, pulling out a chair for the other man to sit. "Well? What have you decided?"

"Your student is..." Xin paused, trying to find the right words. "Impressive, to say the least, and is certainly very knowledgeable for someone of her age."

"Do you think she is the Avatar?" there was another pause.

"I'd say she is our best bet at this time. There are still thousands of children her age around the Earth Kingdom, but so far she is the only one I've met that possesses the strength and the spirit to be the Avatar." Xin shuffled in his chair for a moment. "What's your opinion? You knew Kuruk, did you not?"

"... I may have seen him once or twice. But Kyoshi is nothing like Kuruk; she wants to stay here, while Kuruk could never focus on his duties and was always chasing after one thing or another."

"They said the same thing about Kuruk and Yangchen, her ruthlessness and his hands-off approach."

"True, but as for Kyoshi being the next Avatar... I don't know what to think." Lau Dan sat down. "Part of me wishes that she is the Avatar, so that I know that someone will bring balance to the world. The other part of me... the other part of me wishes for Kyoshi to not be the Avatar, that she'll grow up and live her life without the world watching her every step."

"Sometimes we don't get everything we want." Lau Dan nodded.

"What will you do now?"

"I must return to Gaoling, although I may come back sometime in the future if Kyoshi continues to show promise... You will keep me informed about her training, right?"

"As much as possible; this is a very isolated village and it may take some time to send word... and if I may, if she is the Avatar, I would like to be the one to tell her once she comes of age."

"If she does not connect with her past lives on her own first. As for when you decide to tell her, perhaps another Brother could assist you?"

"... I suppose, but I believe she might accept the fact easier if I'm the one to tell her."

"That seems reasonable." Xin stood to leave. "I must be going; it's a long journey back to Gaoling."

"I wish you a safe journey, Xin Beifong. And please carry my regards to the rest of the Order."

"I shall." With that, Xin stepped outside into the night. Lau Dan closed the door and sighed. He was well aware of the ever changing nature of the world, but the idea of Kyoshi being the Avatar... he shook his head and walked further into his home, pouring himself a cup of tea before sighing again.

_If Kyoshi is the Avatar... I just hope that she is willing to step forward and take on such responsibilities... But she has said she never wants to leave._ He closed his eyes, focusing his soul and allowing himself to calm down. Personal bias would only cloud his judgment, and he needed to approach this with a level head. _I must respect Kyoshi's wishes, but I cannot hide her from her destiny. I shall continue her training, but I will try to encourage her spiritual growth as well._ He opened his eyes and took a sip from his tea.

_I only hope that this time I will not fail..._

* * *

**Wow, this chapter took longer than I expected.**

**Mainly, my problem was with Mei. I was going to have her go to Gaoling with the Beifongs, but every time I tried to write a scene of her leaving it just came out... bad. So, I cut that scene.**

**Also, I realized that I haven't really described what Kyoshi looks like. I blame myself; sometimes I get so caught up in the actions and the narration that I forget to describe what my characters look like. So, Kyoshi... I don't know. I imagine that young!Kyoshi probably looks a bit like Suki, except with black hair.**

**I'll work on descriptions once she gets going with being the Avatar (She'll glow it up in the next chapter, unless I decide otherwise).**

**I still don't own Avatar and it's related characters. Reviews and follows are appreciated (especially reviews), and if I screwed something up please let me know.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I usually try to avoid author's notes above my stories, because I might spoil things, but this is important.**

**I'm changing my plans and removing Chin from the list of characters. Why? Math; the fight between Kyoshi and Chin took place about 200 or so years prior to the main series, and Kyoshi lived to be about 230 years old. Subtracting the hundred years war, then twelve years to the death of Roku and the birth of Aang, and then another 70 years to the death of Kyoshi and the birth of Roku, Kyoshi was at least two hundred years old when she faced off against Chin and created the Dai Li (math is approximate, as it's been a while since I saw ****_Avatar Day_****, and I think the last time I did the math Kyoshi came out to be about one hundred and eighty years old). I might consider myself a pretty good writer, but I'm not enough of a masochist to write out two hundred years of history without doing a ****_lot_**** to time skips, and I've already done enough of those (See below for what I mean. I swear I'll slow things down a bit). And this fic is called ****_Kyoshi Rising_****, not ****_The Life of Kyoshi _****(not saying that that wouldn't be an awesome story), so we're going to be focusing on Kyoshi's growth in her role as Avatar until she becomes fully realized.**

**Yeah, that's what I wanted to say. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't and I'll have a change of heart. But for now, that's what I'm sticking with.**

* * *

Chapter 7

The years passed by. The village continued on as it had before, although there were changes within its boundaries; children grew older, married, and started their own families. Homes were repaired and maintained, crops planted and harvested, and most of its citizens were happy to stay as they were, away from the brewing conflicts and uncertainty of the Earth Kingdom.

Kyoshi yawned and got out of bed, taking a moment for the morning sun to warm her and wake her up. She pushed her hair out of her face and stood up, shedding her sleeping clothes and reaching for her boots, pants and work shirt.

_Happy birthday, Kyoshi,_ she thought as she got dressed. _Sixteen years... New responsibilities, opportunities._ Her thought process stopped for a moment as she forced her feet into her boots. _... New boots._ Once she finished getting dressed, she stepped out into the main room, the smell of food bringing a smile to her face.

"Well, look who decided to sleep in." her mother said as Kyoshi entered. Kyoshi gave her mother a half-hearted glare before chuckling, giving the older woman a hug before moving towards the table, where a bowl of food awaited her. "Happy birthday, Kyoshi."

"Thanks Mom." Kyoshi sat down and began eating, stopping only to speak with her mother. "So, does this mean I get to handle the harvest this year?"

"You'll have to talk with your father when he and the others get back from town... but I still think you'll do a great job this year. And..." her mother moved towards the porch before returning with a new set of boots. "I figured you might need a new pair soon, so I had these waiting for a few weeks."

"Great! I was going to ask for new boots." Kyoshi pulled her old boots off before taking the new ones from her mother. "I promise to take better care of this pair."

"I hope so; we've bought enough shoes for you to build a second house." Kyoshi rolled her eyes. It was not her fault that she was still growing and that her Earthbending was hard on her feet, although Bending any rocks in her boots also caused its fair share of problems, and her family did not have to keep reminding her of that. She finished eating and stood up, taking a moment to adjust to her new boots before moving outside.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, Mom." she called. "Sifu Lau Dan said he wanted to talk to me about my training."

"Okay, just as long as you come back and get your chores done before tonight." Kyoshi nodded and continued on, stopping once she was a good distance away from the house. Channeling her energy, she crouched down before pushing herself forward, riding on a wave of earth towards the practice field. It would draw attention and tear up the ground a bit, but Kyoshi would make sure that any damage was smoothed over when she went home.

Lau Dan was waiting for her in the training field. Age had begun to show on the master Earthbender, with his face more wrinkled and the color fading from his beard, but he still conveyed the same strength and wisdom that Kyoshi had come to admire over the years. She pulled back on her energy, slowing down until the earth deposited her on the other end of the field from her teacher.

"I may be an Earthbender myself, but most of us do prefer walking over... well, that." he said as Kyoshi approached.

"You instructed me to practice my Bending as much as possible, Sifu." she replied. "I haven't done a lot of Bending this last week, so I thought I'd make up for it today." there was a pause before Lau Dan chuckled.

"You remind me of myself when I was your age." he said, drawing a small smile from Kyoshi.

"Thank you, Sifu. So, what do you want me to practice today?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Lau Dan brought his hand up, causing two small stools of earth to form before bidding Kyoshi to sit. "Kyoshi, I have trained you for the past twelve years, and you have advanced further than any other student I have taught."

"I've had a very good teacher."

"Thank you." he gave a small sigh before continuing. "I have taught you everything I know in regards to the spirit world and Earthbending, and you have expanded your understanding far beyond anything I could have imagined. However, when I say that I have taught you everything I do mean everything; I have nothing more I can teach you." Kyoshi blinked.

"Really?... But I feel like I still have so much to learn."

"I have no doubt that you do, but I do not believe I am the one to show you those things."

"Then who is?" there was a pause.

"That is something for you to discover. Maybe you will have to leave your home for a while-"

"But I love it here. I wouldn't want to just leave it all behind."

"I never said you had to stay away, did I? This is your path, Kyoshi; how you travel down it is not for me to decide." Kyoshi frowned. She could not tell if Lau Dan was being completely honest with her, and she was certain there was more to this than just having nothing more to teach her. But the more she thought about it, the more she began to understand; Kyoshi had come of age, and it was time for her to move on from the normality of her youth. She thought for a few more minutes before sitting up straighter and giving a small bow.

"I thank you for all that you've taught me, Sifu Lau Dan. And I promise to make you proud as I continue my journey."

"You already have made me proud, Kyoshi." Lau Dan said, returning Kyoshi's bow. "Now, since you are here would you join me in one last meditation session?"

"Of course." Kyoshi adjusted her position, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap. Once she was in position, she closed her eyes and began taking deep breaths, opening her senses and energy to the world. She could feel a breeze coming in from the north, the wind flowing through her hair and causing a small shiver to run down her spine. The feeling was pleasant, but she did not allow that to distract her as she meditated.

As she focused, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and once again Kyoshi could feel a presence looming over her. As before, it did nothing more but wait, as if she was supposed to reach out and contact it. She had tried on numerous occasions, but every time it just seemed to move further away from her. Kyoshi elected to ignore it, as she had many times before, and after a few minutes the presence left her alone.

Although, as the presence left her, Kyoshi failed to notice the tips of her fingers warm slightly.

...

In between harvests, Li had taken a job down at the docks, helping the fishermen unload their catches and repair their boats. He saw two advantages to working down there; for one, it gave him some experience outside the farm, as well as money for when he decided to start his own family, and it allowed him to pick up small bits of information about the world outside of town.

He was not the type to sit by while the rest of the world fell out of balance.

"I'm always glad when we put in here," one of the sailors said as he passed Li a box filled with fish. "Very peaceful, not like those towns the closer you get to Ba Sing Se."

"I thought the Earth Kingdom would be more secure the further in you went." Li said.

"Kid, the Earth King's about as strong as one of these fish we're hauling. He cares more for his money and his personal security than people like us. I mean, you've got bandits and mercenaries running around causing havoc, and what does he do? Nothing."

"And nobody's done anything about it?"

"What are they supposed to do? Ask the Earth King for help? Maybe the Avatar will show up and make everything better."

"Heh, that'd be something." another fisherman said. "The Avatar hasn't been seen in sixteen years. My guess he probably found some girl to roll around in the ice with and forgot about us in the Earth Kingdom."

"I heard he was dead." a third man said. "He died a few years ago stopping a storm or something."

"That doesn't make any sense; the Avatar can move mountains and he dies in a storm?" the first fisherman shook his head. "No, I think he just got lazy."

"But what if he is dead?" Li asked. "What are we supposed to do until the next Avatar shows up?"

"I'm staying out of it until everything gets settled." the older man passed the last load of fish to Li. "You want to go save the world, go save the world. You'd probably do a better job at it than the Earth King ever would." Li set the last of the crates down, collected his payment, and headed back into town. While he did make an effort to greet those that he passed on his way home, his mind was focused on the conversation he had with the fishermen; if the Avatar was dead, and the Earth Kingdom falling out of balance, then it was only a matter of time before the village got wrapped up in the conflicts of the rest of the world.

_We'll have to prepare for the worst_, he thought. _I could get some of the others together... we could set up a town watch, or maybe go join the army and actually _do _something... if anything, I could probably get to Gaoling by_-

"Hey Li!" Li's concentration was broken by Kyoshi appearing in his path. It was still awkward having to look up at his little sister, but height was not high on his list of issues. "I thought I'd come by after my Earthbending lesson and see what you were up to."

"I'm just heading home." Li moved on, Kyoshi falling in step next to him. "So, your lesson went well?"

"... Sort of. Lau Dan said he wouldn't be able to train me anymore."

"Why?"

"He said that He'd taught me everything he knew." Kyoshi sighed. "I guess I'll have to find something else to fill in my free time."

"Right." they walked on before Li spoke again. "Kyoshi, I know you've gotten pretty protective of us, and..."

"And what?" Kyoshi raised an eyebrow. "Did you do something wrong?"

"No. I was just thinking... well, do you know what's going on in the Earth Kingdom?"

"A bit." Kyoshi looked back at the path and shrugged. "I don't really want to get involved in anything like that, especially with the Avatar being dead."

"Wait, the Avatar _is _dead?"

"Yes... What, you didn't know that?" Li shook his head.

"I only heard it was a rumor. How'd you find out?"

"Well, you remember when those men from Gaoling visited when I was seven? They said that the Avatar was dead, and had been for some time... I just hope whoever is the next Avatar does a good job."

"Yeah, me too..." there was a pause before Kyoshi spoke again.

"Anyway, so things are not so good."

"Right." Li took a breath. "I was thinking about maybe going out and trying to do something about it. Maybe try to make sure nothing comes and threatens our home."

"I don't see why you're telling me about it." Kyoshi thought for a moment, "Although I think Dad might be a bit upset that you don't want to take over the farm. I mean, he likes it when I help out and all, but I still think he'd want you to have it."

"I don't know; I don't think I was cut out to be a farmer."

"Why? Farming's great."

"Not all of us are Earthbenders, Kyoshi." Kyoshi shrugged again as Li continued. "I just think that there's more I can do out there than here. I'm not the best fighter or anything, but I've got ideas; I could make an impact and maybe bring some kind of peace to the world."

"Well..." Kyoshi paused for a moment. "Whatever you do, I hope it works out for you."

"You could come with me if you want; I'm sure we'd be able to accomplish more with your Bending." this drew a small glare from Kyoshi. "... Or, you could just stay here, that works too."

"I'm not going to leave anytime soon." another pause. "Although Lau Dan said I might have to go find someone to work on my spiritual growth... maybe a short trip to Omashu wouldn't be that bad."

"Yeah..." Li looked away from Kyoshi for a moment. _Of course convincing Kyoshi wouldn't work out... I could always see if she'd stay here and make sure no one attacked the town... yeah, she'd be able to do that._

"Li, could we not talk about this now? I really don't want to get distracted, and it is my birthday so I don't want anything spoiling it."

"Sure, we can talk with Mom and Dad later." _At least she's open to the idea._ Li would have to think of some other ideas to get Kyoshi on his side, but he would respect her wish and let the issue rest for her birthday. She would take some time to come around, having become a bit stubborn once her Earthbending was fully under control, but at least protecting her home would be a reachable goal.

And anything that would keep their home safe would be worth it.

...

In a small village such as this one, coming of age celebrations were given a special reverence; it was a time where a young man or woman would find their true place in the community, where they would begin to contribute to the continued survival of the village. All work on farms and boats ceased, and everyone would gather in town for the ceremony and celebration.

As night fell on the town, Kyoshi prepared herself for the ceremony.

"I don't want to sound ungrateful or anything," Kyoshi said as Mei made the last adjustments to the dress Kyoshi was now clad in. "But how soon after the ceremony can I take this thing off?"

"When you come home." her mother said, noting Kyoshi's disappointed pout. "Don't give me that look; I had to go through the same ceremony as you."

"So did I." Mei said as she finished her work and made one last check. "You didn't see me complaining."

"Well, you're used to this stuff." Kyoshi looked down at her dress. "This feels a little tight."

"That's because you grew since the last time we tried it on."

"Well, what was I supposed to do? Just stop growing?" Mei said nothing, instead tugging at one of the laces on the dress before stepping back.

"How does she look?" Mei asked.

"Beautiful." Kyoshi's mother smiled and stepped forward, placing her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "You rival the most beautiful women of Ba Sing Se."

"Thanks Mom." Kyoshi gave a small smile. "Although I don't know how many of them are Benders."

"I'm sure there must be a few." Mei said. There was a pause before Kyoshi noted tears forming in her mother's eyes.

"Mom, is something wrong?" Kyoshi asked.

"Nothing. It's just..." she took a moment to wipe away her tears before continuing. "I've been thinking about this day ever since you were born, and now... now that it's here I can't help but feel like it all went by so fast."

"Don't worry Mom. I'll still be here, and I promise to help you and Dad out as much as I can." Kyoshi's smiled again. "I might be getting older, but I'm still your daughter, and I'll always be here for you." her mother smiled before pulling Kyoshi into a tight hug. The two held each other for almost a minute before Mei decided to cut in.

"I don't want to sound impatient, we need to get going if we're going to get to town on time." she said.

"Why didn't we just get ready there?" Kyoshi asked as she broke from her mother's embrace. "Wouldn't it save time?"

"The walk from home to the town is supposed to represent your journey into adulthood, Kyoshi." her mother said as she ushered Kyoshi into the main room. "Didn't you pay attention when Mei came of age?"

"That was nine years ago."

"You have a good memory, you could have remembered."

"Well..." Kyoshi gave up trying to defend herself. Yes, she had forgotten, but there many things going on that year that had distracted her. She said nothing as she fell in place behind her mother, Mei taking up position behind her.

"Hey," the older girl whispered in Kyoshi's ear. "Don't worry about the ceremony. I'm sure you'll do great."

"I'm not worrying about the ceremony."

"You could have fooled me." Kyoshi did not respond as her mother led her outside, the cool night air prickling her skin. They did not get very far before her mother stopped, Kyoshi looking around her in confusion.

Four men were standing in the road. By the light of their torches Kyoshi could see that two of them were armed with swords, and although they carried themselves like soldiers they were not dressed in any uniform or heraldry she had been told about. The leader was a tall man dressed in dark brown armor, and Kyoshi felt a chill run down her back as his grey eyes drifted over them.

"Good evening." he said, taking a step forward. "My name is Jian Feng. My men and I have travelled for several weeks and would enjoy a night of rest and relaxation."

"I would love to show you hospitality." Kyoshi's mother said, her voice even and controlled. "But we have neither the time nor resources to provide for all four of you."

"Really?" the man raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be so sure of that. Your... home looks well stocked, and I enjoy presenting myself as a generous man to those that serve me." Kyoshi could feel several warnings running through her mind; despite his calm demeanor, Jian Feng's words seemed to hold a bit of malice that put her on edge.

"I have no doubt that you are generous." her mother continued. "But I do not have anything to offer you. You will have to look elsewhere to satiate your needs."

"I already have." Jian Feng nodded, and the two armed men drew their swords and stepped forward. "And I believe you do have something to offer me, and I do not like people turning me away." Now, Kyoshi could not hold herself back and stepped forward, stopping once she was in contact with the ground.

"Leave my sister and mother alone." she snapped, sliding her foot along the ground and channeling her energy. At this, Jian Feng let out a bark of laughter.

"And who will stop me, child? You? I appreciate your steadfastness, but I would prefer if you learned your place." he nodded and one of the swordsmen lunged forward, sweeping the sword for Kyoshi's head. Before he had completed the action, Kyoshi had shifted her body towards him and punched, releasing her energy and sending a pillar of dirt into the man's stomach. The swordsman cried out in surprise and pain, tumbling through the air before landing in a heap five feet away. Kyoshi turned back to Jian Feng, glaring at the older man. For his part, Jian Feng seemed impressed.

"And here I thought this trip would be a waste." he smirked, moving into a fighting stance of his own. "Chun, with me; we'll put this young Earthbender in her place soon enough."

"Mom, Mei," Kyoshi said, not taking her eyes off her opponents. "Go and find Dad and Li. I'll hold these men off."

"Kyoshi-" Mei said, taking a step forward, but Kyoshi raised a hand.

"Go, now!" Mei and her mother stalled for a few seconds, but moved to get away from Kyoshi and the attackers. Before they could get very far, the other swordsman had cut off their escape route, a sneer spreading across his face.

"Please, child." Jian Feng said. "I am the one in control here, not you. I will decide when I am finished with your family." with another smirk Jian Feng stepped forward and thrust his hand down, a row of jagged rocks shooting out at Kyoshi. Kyoshi sidestepped the attack and tore two boulders from the ground, spinning before hurling them at her opponent. Jian Feng destroyed the first boulder and caught the second, leaping up into the air before throwing it at Kyoshi's head. With no time to redirect it, Kyoshi strengthened her stance and pulled her hands into a wedge shape, splitting the rock and casting the two halves to the side.

It was then that the man known as Chun moved. He slid his right foot in a semicircle, tearing four boulders from the ground before punching them towards Kyoshi. Kyoshi brought her arms up over her face, the action causing a wall of earth to rise up in front of her. The first two boulders shattered against the earthen shield without leaving any physical damage, but the third left several visible cracks before the fourth broke through. Kyoshi had little time to react before the remnants of the boulder struck her, a last-minute shift in her energy preventing her from getting knocked back too far.

"On second thought, perhaps this trip was a waste." she heard Jian Feng say as she got back into position. "I would have expected an Earthbender to have better training... Oh well, at least your sister and mother will be enough."

"You won't even touch them." Kyoshi rushed forward, her hands out as she channeled more energy. Jian Feng stepped back and launched another attack at her, but Kyoshi leapt into the air at the last second and brought her hands together, two curtains of dirt and stone shooting out at the other Earthbenders. Jian Feng leapt away while sweeping his hand towards Kyoshi, while Chun diverted the wave and used its energy to relocate and stay out of reach of Kyoshi. Kyoshi twisted around to block Jian Feng's attack, but doing so brought her between the two hostile Earthbenders.

Kyoshi's gaze swiveled back and forth between Jian Feng and Chun, the two Earthbenders moving to cut her off. She cast a glance back to Mei and her mother, seeing that the two swordsmen had cornered them against the house. _No, you will _not _hurt them!_ Kyoshi stepped forward and hurled another rock at one of the swordsmen, but this left her open to attack from the Earthbenders surrounding her. Chun launched a column of earth at her, managing to clip one of her legs and knock her to the ground. She recovered, just in time to block an attack from Jian Feng, but the combined attacks from the two had put her on the defensive.

Kyoshi moved back, placing the men between herself and her house. It was not the position she would have liked, but she would have to work with it. Chun stepped forward, wrenching two slabs of earth from the ground before trying to crush her with them. Kyoshi gave herself a boost and jumped over them, grabbing them with her own energy before sending them back at her opponent. Once again Chun diverted the attack, and with a twist of his hand turned the ground beneath Kyoshi into sand, causing her to slip. As Kyoshi lost traction, Jian Feng struck with another attack, the earthen pillar colliding with Kyoshi and knocking her away.

"You are nothing compared to me, child." Jian Feng said as Kyoshi got back up on her feet. "I have been fighting my way across the Earth Kingdom since long before you were born. I have defeated Benders and warriors that had stood with the Avatar himself." Kyoshi said nothing, instead pulling into a fighting stance and reaching out as far as she could with her energy. "What makes you think you can do any better? You, a backward peasant wench with nothing to her name?" Kyoshi said nothing, but a small smile spread across her face as Jian Feng closed. Kyoshi flicked her wrist, and a small wad of dirt popped out of the ground and struck the man in the face.

Jian Feng stumbled back as if he had been slapped, his eyes filled with rage. Now it was Kyoshi's turn to smirk, although that smirk vanished when she tried to attack and was cut off by Chun. As the other Earthbender kept Kyoshi distracted, Jian Feng tried and failed to compose himself.

"You... You _dare_, strike me, peasant?!" Jian Feng cried. "You will pay for this defiance!" Jian Feng looked to one of the swordsmen and gave a nod. Kyoshi watched as the man reached out and grabbed her mother, and with one fluid motion stabbed his sword into her gut. Her mother let out a gasp of pain, clutching at her wound before collapsing to the ground.

"MOM!" Kyoshi screamed, dropping her defenses and rushing towards her mother. She did not get very far before a boulder struck her side, knocking her to the ground. She tried to get up, but more and more attacks rained down on her, and despite her strength she could do nothing to stop them.

"That is what happens to those that defy me!" Jian Feng looked to Chun. "Finish her off." the older man nodded and advanced towards Kyoshi, pummeling the girl with attack after attack. As Kyoshi was beaten, her thoughts remained focused on her mother and Mei. Her mother was injured, possibly dying, and there was little Kyoshi could do to stop it. Her mind was filled with panic, images of her mother dying and Mei being assaulted by those men flooding her mind.

_This wasn't supposed to happen...He... that man... he'll kill them, and I won't be able to do anything... he can't do this..._

_...No. I won't let him hurt my family anymore._

_**I won't**_.

As Kyoshi's panic turned to rage, her eyes began to glow.

...

"What's taking them so long?" Li asked. "They should be here by now."

"Patience, Li." his father said, placing a calming hand on Li's shoulder. "They're only running a few minutes late. I'm sure the ceremony will start soon and they'll be along."

"Sure..." Li could not suppress the feeling that something had gone wrong. It was just like when Mei's friend Cai had her coming of age ceremony; a few Sheep Pigs had broken loose and trashed the ceremonial altar, and they had to delay for an entire day just to get everything fixed. _The same thing couldn't have happened again, could it?_

"Maybe one of us should go and see if everything's alright." He said, looking back to his father.

"Li, you must be patient."

"I've tried being patient, but I just can't help but feel that something's wrong." there was a pause. "If they aren't here in five minutes, I'm going to go look for them."

"I would listen to your father, young man." Li turned and saw Lau Dan approaching. "These are often not things that must be rushed. You must wait, for often the right opportunity takes a while to come."

"Sure it does." Li stepped away, sulking slightly.

"I heard Kyoshi say that you have stopped her training." Li's father said once Lau Dan reached them. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh no, nothing's wrong.'" Lau Dan chuckled. "I just feel that I have taught Kyoshi enough Earthbending and that she needs to move on."

"To who?" Li asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That is something I must tell you all later, once Kyoshi's ceremony is finished." Again, Li felt as if something was wrong. He had not talked to Lau Dan as much as his parents or Kyoshi had, but while the man did seem friendly enough Li still felt suspicious of him. Maybe it was because sometimes he felt too friendly, like he was planning on asking their family a favor they could not carry out. _Or maybe I'm just being paranoid._

Li's thoughts were interrupted by a flash of light coming from the direction of their home. Li squinted and thought he saw what looked like a blast of fire, but it disappeared so fast that he could not be sure. "Did you see that?"

"What?" his father asked.

"I thought I saw a fire back there. I think I was right about something going on."

"Li, are you sure you aren't just inventing this to try and justify your paranoia."

"No, he's right." Lau Dan said. "I felt something happen with my energy just before he saw whatever happened. Han, I want you to get as many strong men as you can and meet us at your home."

"What's happening?" Li's father asked, worry rising in his voice. "You know something, don't you? What's happening to my family?"

"I do not have time to explain. Go, now!" Li's father hesitated, but nodded before moving towards the gathering crowd. As he left, Li and Lau Dan began running towards the edge of town, the older man giving them a slight boost with his Earthbending.

"What was it that you were going to tell my father?" Li asked, levelling a small glare at Lau Dan.

"It's about your sister. I was planning on telling you all this once there were fewer people around, but now it seems I'm too late and she has been forced to unlock her potential."

"'Her potential'? What are you talking about?" Lau Dan did not stop running, instead turning his head to look at Li.

"Your sister is the Avatar."

...

The entire world seemed to freeze around Mei. First, one of her attackers had stabbed her mother, and then Kyoshi had been overwhelmed and beaten down by one of the Earthbenders. She wanted to do something, anything to fight back against the men, but her body would not respond to anything.

She stood locked in place for almost a minute before she felt the hilt of a sword slam against the back of her head. She fell to the ground, resting there for a second before she was pulled back to her knees. Again, she tried to fight back, but she was still numb from shock As Jian Feng advanced on her.

"Why..." was all she could say. "Why are you doing this?"

"I am merely asserting the natural order of things." he said, grabbing Mei's chin and turning her to face him. "You refused to show us hospitality, and now we are taking what is rightfully ours." he looked to one of the swordsmen. "Kill the older one, then go inside and take anything that might be of value. I have a few words to say to our charming hostess here." the other man smirked and brought his sword up, advancing on the wounded woman. Mei tried to escape, but the man holding her was too strong and forced her back down.

It was then that she heard the scream.

Jian Feng turned around just as the other man was consumed by a column of fire. The man dropped his sword and fell to the ground, writhing in agony as the flames burned through clothing and flesh. Jian Feng moved away, and as Mei saw Kyoshi moving into her fighting stance the older girl could not help but gasp.

Kyoshi's hair and dress whipped around, pulled by a large cycle of wind. Fire danced along her fingers, but they burned neither her hands nor her robes. But it was her eyes that caught Mei's attention. Gone were the soft hazel eyes of her sister; instead they glowed a bright white, as blinding as the sun and seemingly bottomless. Mei's fear had begun to change; being attacked by bandits was one thing, as you could stand against them one way or another.

No one could stand against a force of nature.

Kyoshi twisted her hands around before punching forward, a jet of fire leaping from her fist and racing towards Mei's attackers. Jian Feng threw up an earth shield to deflect the back, but the flames tore through his defenses and tossed him back. Kyoshi spun her hands around one more before rising into the air, a small cyclone forming around her torso to keep her aloft. Jian Feng grabbed the remnants of a boulder and hurled it at Kyoshi, but she batted the attack away as if it were nothing more than an annoying Spider Fly. She thrust her hand forward, a curtain of fire striking the ground and chasing after Jian Feng. Mei was paralyzed by the display, paralyzed enough that she did not feel the man holding her let go and run in fear.

"Sir!" She was distracted for a moment by the other Earthbender, Chun. "We need to get out of here!"

"No, I'm not leaving." Jian Feng replied, jumping back to avoid another attack from Kyoshi. "I've been waiting for this fight for a long time."

"Sir, we'll get killed, and even if you do win what happens then?" Jian Feng ignored Chun, instead grabbing another boulder and leaping at Kyoshi. The girl did not waver for a second, instead swinging her arms around and releasing a mighty gale in Jian Feng's face. The man was knocked from the sky, tumbling through the air before landing with a crash. Mei hoped that he was dead, but that hope was dashed when he began struggling to get up, Chun rushing to his side.

Kyoshi launched another fireball at the two men, but Chun was already on the move, propelling himself forward with his Earthbending while dragging Jian Feng along with him. Kyoshi continued to attack, air blasts and fire raining down on the men, but they were out of reach and disappeared into the night. Kyoshi did not come down, instead firing off more attacks in the direction the men had fled. It was then that Mei found the courage to stand and move towards Kyoshi.

"K-Kyoshi!" she called, hoping that her sister would hear her over the rushing wind. Kyoshi's head snapped around, and Mei almost broke and ran under the gaze of Kyoshi's glowing eyes. "Kyoshi, they're gone. Y-you can come down now. Please, before anyone else gets hurt... please." Kyoshi did not say anything, but she slowly came down from the air. The wind around her began to die down, dissipating completely once Kyoshi was on the ground. Kyoshi stood still for a moment before her eyes stopped glowing, at which point she sagged over into Mei's arms. "Kyoshi?"

"... Mei?" Kyoshi asked, her voice little more than a hoarse whisper. "Is Mom okay?" Mei was about to answer when she heard footsteps coming up behind her. She turned as Lau Dan and Li came into view, the older man running to her mother and examining her wounds.

"What happened?" Li asked.

"These men came and attacked us." Mei said, helping Kyoshi to her feet. "Kyoshi tried to fight them off, but then one of them stabbed Mom and..." Mei trailed off. She had no idea how to explain what had happened to Li, and she was not certain if she understood what happened either.

"Your mother is badly injured." Lau Dan called. "But we might be able to save her if we get her to a healer quickly."

"Mr. Gan-Lan served in the Earth Kingdom army." Li responded. "He knows about stab wounds." Lau Dan nodded before scooping the injured woman up in his arms, hurrying back towards town.

"We need to go see if Mom's okay." Li said before looking to Kyoshi. "Can you walk?"

"Y-yes..." Kyoshi took a weak step forward, stabilizing herself on Mei's shoulder before spotting the man she had burned. "How... how did that happen?"

"You mean you don't remember?"

"Not really. I remember seeing Mom get stabbed, and then there was a light, and..." Kyoshi shook her head. "Everything else is all faded... I think I did that."

"You did."

"But... I'm an Earthbender."

"No." Li said, guiding Kyoshi back towards town. "You're the Avatar."

...

When he came to, Jian Feng had no idea where he was. His entire body hurt, although he was uncertain if it was from the fight or from being dragged through the hills. He groaned and sat up, spying Chun crouched near a fire.

"Why did you get us out of there?" he snapped. "That was my change for redemption, and you took it away from me."

"You were going to get killed, sir." the other man responded. "Just like Shan; you were going to die and then no one would ever remember you."

"They would have." Jian Feng muttered. "After all I've done for the Earth Kingdom, they better remember me." Chun said nothing, instead looking back at the fire. "Where are we?"

"We're heading back to Gaoling. At the rate we've been traveling, it'll take a day or two for them to find us again, so we'll leave at dawn tomorrow."

"What? You want us to run like cowards?"

"I'm just saying that we need to regroup with the others and find work elsewhere. It's just you and me, sir; Shan was burned by that girl, and Chu-Min ran off somewhere else. We can't fight an entire angry mob, even with your strength."

"I don't need your patronizing." Jian Feng sighed. "But I suppose you're right; we need to rest and regroup before we face the Avatar once more." _And fortunately for us, she is only a peasant child... This should be easier than I imagined._

* * *

**And that happened.**

**I don't own ****_Avatar_**** and it's related characters. Reviews and Favorites are appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Kyoshi sat slumped against the wall of the building the town healer called home. She wanted to be inside, so she could see if her mother was going to survive, but she was made to wait outside by Mr. Gan-Lan. This made it worse, as Kyoshi had ample time to mull over what had happened that night.

"_You're the Avatar."_

The words echoed through her mind, drowning out most of her other thoughts. Kyoshi looked at her hands, as if she expected fire to spark from them on command. When nothing happened, she looked back at the ground, closing her eyes as the words ran through her mind again.

"_You're the Avatar."_

It was unreal... Impossible. Kyoshi could not be the Avatar. She was just a simple Earthbender, not the Avatar. The Avatar was a powerful Bender and a great leader, someone who went out into the world to impart wisdom and justice, but she was a farmer's daughter, an isolationist. She had defended herself and her family from several bandits, nothing more... but she could still see the image of the burned man lying on the ground, still twitching in agony.

"_You're the Avatar."_

"I can't be the Avatar." she said. "I can't." she was interrupted from her mulling when the door open and Lau Dan stepped out. "Is my mother okay?" there was a pause.

"She's weak, but she isn't going to die. It might take some time for her to recover fully, though." Kyoshi nodded as Lau Dan sat down next to her. "How are you?"

"... I don't know." Kyoshi looked down at the ground. "I want to feel happy that my mother is going to get better but... I should have done more. I could have protected her better, but I didn't and then..." a small tear formed in her eye, which Kyoshi wiped away.

"You cannot blame yourself for that, Kyoshi." Lau Dan said, placing a hand on Kyoshi's shoulder. "You did everything you could." Kyoshi knew that he was right, but she could not help but feel guilty. She sat in silence for a moment before changing the subject.

"Am I really the Avatar?" she asked. There was another pause before Lau Dan spoke.

"Yes. Your sister saw you enter the Avatar State, and if the injuries on the man you-"

"I what?" Kyoshi looked to Lau Dan. "... He's dead, isn't he? I killed someone."

"Kyoshi it was in self-defense-"

"It doesn't matter. I killed someone. I know he hurt my mother, and might have done the same to me or Mei, but I didn't mean to kill him-"

"Kyoshi," Kyoshi stopped talking as Lau Dan continued. "I know that you did not mean to kill anyone, and I do not hold that against you. But if you panic, you will only make this worse for yourself." Kyoshi tried her best to calm down. "As I was saying, you used Firebending to attack the man who tried to kill your mother, and only the Avatar can utilize more than one type of Bending."

"I know." Kyoshi looked back at the ground. "I just... I just can't see myself being the Avatar."

"It is a lot to take in all at once, I will admit. But do not let that distract you, for your own doubts might undermine your efforts."

"I know." there was another pause. "Did you... Did you know I was the Avatar before today?"

"... I have had suspicions that you were the Avatar since you were seven. I never fully realized it until only a few months ago"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Kyoshi, I wanted you to have a normal childhood so that you would be ready to take up your role as the Avatar once you came of age. Would you have been the same person you are if you had spent the last nine years training and worrying about your destiny?"

"... No."

"I thought not." Lau Dan sighed. "I was going to tell you and your family after your coming of age ceremony, but..."

"I know." Kyoshi looked up again. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"What do you feel you should do?"

"I... I don't know." Kyoshi placed her head in her hands. "I don't know. I can't leave my family now, especially with my mother injured like this, but I can't just stay here and pretend nothing happened. If I'm the Avatar, then it's my duty to bring balance to the world, but... I'm not a mediator. I'm not a leader, or a warrior, I'm just... I'm just a farm girl. I can't speak to kings or generals and get them to listen to me."

"One of your past lives was a refugee before he stepped forward as the Avatar; he ended up rebuilding the communication and trade networks of the world after a cataclysm tore the Earth Kingdom apart."

"That's different."

"How so? The Earth Kingdom is breaking apart, if it allows men like the ones who attacked you to run rampant. And if the Earth Kingdom falls out of balance, the rest of the world will follow; the Fire Nation might become ambitious and try to seize territory for itself, or worse some of its leaders might see the Earth Kingdom as an example and try to break from the Fire Lord and start another civil war. The Air Temples and the Water Tribes would be more or less cut off from one another, or at least run the risk of their messages and people being attacked." Kyoshi looked away as Lau Dan continued. "I don't want to pressure you into this, Kyoshi, but I will not keep you from your destiny; the world needs the Avatar, and sooner or later you will have to take up the title."

"But it's still so much..."

"I know, and it will take time and effort to put the world back in balance. But I believe that you can do it, Kyoshi; you are not only a strong Bender, but you also possess much more understanding and knowledge than you realize, and that will be your greatest strength as you go about your journey." Kyoshi frowned. She knew that Lau Dan was trying to encourage her, but she still could not see herself in the role of the Avatar. What did she know of politics and diplomacy?

But then her mind drifted to her mother, seeing her stabbed by that man. A fully realized Avatar could have prevented that, or made sure that such things never had the chance of happening. If not for her, then for some other girl or family in the Earth Kingdom.

_I won't let that happen again... I won't._

"... I'll go." she said, standing up and dusting herself off. "I'll go and take my place as the Avatar. I'll get the Earth Kingdom back on its feet and make sure that nothing like this happens again."

"I assume you'll need some time to explain this to your family?"

"Yes... I'll talk to them tonight, and then leave tomorrow." she closed her eyes. "I won't like leaving... but I won't abandon my duties."

"Then I wish you the best of luck on your journey. Here," Lau Dan pulled the pendant off his neck and gave it to Kyoshi. It was a carved image of a white lotus, like the Pai Sho tiles she had seen him using. "I want you to have this."

"Thank you, Sifu Lau Dan." she said, giving her master a bow. "I will cherish this throughout my life."

"It is more than just a gift, Kyoshi. I know several people around the world that will help you if you show them this. The closest, Jin-Wei, runs the Blue Dragon Inn in Omashu; show him the pendant and tell him I sent you, and he will help you reach the Fire Nation."

"How?"

"I cannot fully explain, but he will help you. Just remember: the white lotus opens for those who know her secrets." Kyoshi furrowed her brow, but did not press the matter. Instead, she took the pendant and draped it around her neck, taking a moment to get used to its weight and feeling.

"I will never forget all that you have done for me, Sifu Lau Dan."

"And I will never forget the joys of having you as my student, Kyoshi." Kyoshi gave him a smile and turned towards home. Her father and siblings would still be in town with the other villagers, probably arguing over what course of action they should take to defend from further bandit incursions.

_Good... I'll need some time to think of what to say._ That thought took away most of the positive emotions that Kyoshi had been feeling. Her family was supportive, sure enough, but would they support her leaving for who knew how long? _I... I guess they will just have to accept this... I will come back, someday._

...

Mei walked behind her father and brother, quietly listening to their conversation. After news of the attack had reached the rest of town, an emergency town meeting had been called to decide what was to be done. Li and some of the younger men had advocated taking a stand and preparing to fight any potential attackers, while the older crowd had felt that sending a message to the Earth King alerting him to their plight might help. This had devolved into a heated argument, with both sides calling the other stupid or nearsighted.

Eventually a compromise was reached; the letter would be sent, while a few watchmen would be placed around the edge of town to alert the others if any suspicious characters appeared. Li was not happy with the deal, and was making his distaste known.

"See, the problem is that some people just don't understand that force is sometimes the only answer." he said as they neared home.

"But wouldn't violent action just make us the same as those thugs?" their father asked.

"That's different; we wouldn't hurt the innocent, only the murderers and thieves."

"And how far would you go to punish 'murderers and thieves'?"

"Far enough to make sure that justice is served." Mei blinked. She knew Li could be hot headed at times, but even she could see that this was taking it a bit too far. _Spirits, I hope Li finds his way without hurting himself too much._ She would have voiced her objections, but as they entered the house they were distracted from their conversation by the sight of Kyoshi placing food and supplies on the table.

"Kyoshi?" her father asked. "What are you doing?"

"Packing." Kyoshi replied, not looking up as she set a bed roll down. "I'm going to the Fire Nation to begin my training as the Avatar."

"What?" Mei asked.

"I need to master the Four Elements and get exposure to the world. How else am I supposed to help the world regain balance?"

"Well, yes, that is the Avatar's duties, but..." Mei took a step towards Kyoshi. "Why are you leaving _now_? Mom's still hurt, and those men that attacked us-"

"-Are probably gone; aside from their leader they knew when they were outmatched." Kyoshi looked up from her packing. "And I don't want to leave Mom behind, but I must; the world needs the Avatar, and I will not allowed what happened tonight to happen to anyone else."

"See? Someone that gets it." Li said. Kyoshi shook her head and turned back to her packing.

"I heard what you were saying on the way in, and I don't think that will work. I am all for bringing those men to justice, but what you're talking about sounds a little too much like vengeance."

"And since when did you become so knowledgeable?"

"Li, I'm not a little girl anymore; I know the difference between justice and vengeance." There was a pause.

"So, maybe I got the two mixed up," Li started. "It doesn't matter. We'll make sure that people like that-"

"No, there is no 'we'. I don't want any of you to come with me or follow my example." Li opened his mouth to protest, but Kyoshi cut him off with a hand wave. "This is my burden, not yours. I want you, Mei, Mom and Dad to live in peace and not have to worry about wars or politics or bandits... I'll deal with them on my own, one way or another."

"So, you want us to sit here and do nothing?"

"I want you to stay safe. Is that too much to ask, for you all to stay safe and live a normal life?" Kyoshi took inventory of what she had set out. "It doesn't matter... I should finish packing. I'll probably need food, too. And money. Enough to get me to Omashu, or at least the next village... How far is the nearest village? Ten days away, if I only stop to sleep?"

"Kyoshi," now it was her father that stepped forward. "Have you had time to think about this? Maybe you should just rest for a little while-"

"No." Kyoshi turned to face her family. "I have thought this over, and the only way I can make sure that this doesn't happen again is to go out and make sure that the Earth Kingdom is being run properly. Even if I don't leave tomorrow, I will have to leave someday, and every day that I do nothing is a day that the world does not have the Avatar." Kyoshi resumed packing, heading into her room to grab a change of clothing.

Mei wanted to say something, anything to try and get Kyoshi to pause for a moment and stay here. She was still her sister, and while she might not have been a Bender Mei was not going to allow Kyoshi to put herself into too much danger. But as she thought about it, she was drawn back to that summer nine years ago, when Kyoshi had spoken to Mei about the possibility of her leaving for Gaoling. _No one really goes away forever; we'd still see each other again, sooner or later._

Kyoshi was willing to accept that their family might be broken apart then. Far be it for Mei to deny it now.

"... You're not the only one who wants everyone to stay safe, you know. And..." Mei bit her lip. "I hope you find some semblance of happiness as well." Kyoshi stopped moving, looking off into space. She said nothing, and Mei was about to ask if she was okay before Kyoshi spun around and pulled her sister into a tight hug, tears streaming down her face. Mei was surprised at first, but returned the hug as Kyoshi wept into her shoulder.

She would be gone by tomorrow morning. But for now, Mei would just have to enjoy the time she had left with her sister.

…

An out of season fog had left a layer of dew across the grass, making it slick underfoot. Kyoshi did not mind; her Earthbending provided enough support already, and she could always catch herself if she fell. She adjusted her pack once more before walking further into town, her eyes scanning the houses for activity.

Her father and Li did not have much to say to her the other night; they realized there was not much chance at convincing her to give up on her idea, instead opting for silent encouragement. At least Kyoshi hoped it was encouragement; she could tell that Li was mad at her for forcing him to stay behind, but he would get over it. After all, he always claimed to respect the Avatar; would he still have that respect if the Avatar was his sister?

_Li's not an idiot,_ she thought. _He'll calm down and be back to his old self in no time._ Kyoshi put those thoughts out of her mind as she neared Mr. Gan-Lan's house. She knew her mother was still resting inside, and although she felt bad for disturbing her Kyoshi knew she needed to let her know of her decision. Swallowing and building up her courage, she gave the door a good knock, waiting several moments before Mr. Gan-Lan opened the door.

"Can I see my mother?" she asked, keeping her voice as quiet as possible.

"She's still asleep." The man replied before taking a moment to examine Kyoshi's attire. "Are you travelling somewhere?"

"Yes, which is why I need to speak with my mother."

"I… I suppose you can see her." Mr. Gan-Lan opened the door and ushered Kyoshi inside. "But do not stay for too long; she still needs to rest." Kyoshi nodded before moving further into the house. Her mother was lying on a cot near the fire place, her side covered in bandages. It was a painful image for Kyoshi; her mother had always seemed so strong, and to see here wounded like this… Kyoshi shook her head again and knelt next to her mother.

"… Mom?" she asked, receiving no response. "I-I don't know if you can hear me… but if you can, I'm sorry for disturbing you. I know you need to rest and heal, but… this is really important, and I want you to hear it.

"I'm the Avatar, Mom… I'm not sure if you saw what I did, but it's true. I'm here because… I'm leaving for the Fire Nation, and I wanted to say goodbye to you. I already said goodbye to Dad, Mei and Li last night… they took it better than I thought they would.

"I just wanted to say that… I'm sorry, Mom. I never wanted to see you get hurt, and… I could have done something, I think, but I didn't. I know I shouldn't blame myself, but I can't help it. I-I don't want this to happen again to anyone… hopefully I'm successful." She sighed.

"I need to get going soon, Mom. But I just wanted to say… I wanted to say that I love you, and I will miss you. I'll always remember you, even when I'm out there brining balance to the world. You just focus on getting better, and keep an eye on Li. I think he's a bit confused and angry…" Kyoshi closed her eyes. She stayed motionless for a minute before standing, readjusting her pack as she did so.

"Goodbye, Mom." And with that Kyoshi left the house, turning north on the main road and heading into the forest.

The world was teetering on the brink, and the new Avatar had taken her first steps forward.

* * *

**And thus Kyoshi begins her journey to become the Avatar.**

**Again, I had more struggles with Math. I wanted the Earth Kingdom to seem big, but not overly huge. According to Google Maps (not the most accurate of sources, but it's all I have at the time), it takes about ten days of walking to get from Beijing to Shanghai, assuming you don't stop to rest, eat, etc. I imagine that the next village is probably more like five days away, if Kyoshi just walked straight there and stopped for nothing... less if she had a flying bison... or a car... or even a badgermole (which would be kind of awesome, Kyoshi riding around on a badgermole)**

**Also, sometimes I feel I fail at dramatic scenes because I go into Shatner mode with lots of ellipses and pauses. Correct me if I'm wrong.**

**Anyway, I don't own _Avatar_ or its related characters. Reviews and follows are appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Her home was now long out of view. The path she walked down was poorly maintained, but it was still visible enough for her to follow. If it got too worn, a quick use of her Earthbending got Kyoshi back on track, and she was able to continue on. Around her, dozens of calls from birds and other creatures filled the air, sounds that went a long way at putting Kyoshi's soul at peace.

_Hopefully the rest of the world has places like this,_ she thought.

As Kyoshi walked, the forest around her began to thin slightly. Ahead, she could see the shapes of hills and peaks rising from the tree line, and for a moment she paused. She was not scared of the mountains themselves, but this would be the furthest she had ever been from home; she still possessed a bit of apprehension, even if it was childish to feel that way. She took a breath and pressed on, finding the quickest way up the slopes among the rocks.

A breeze swept in from the east, filling Kyoshi's lungs with cool air. She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath in order to keep some memory of the smell of home. Her memory logged, Kyoshi continued on, brushing some of her hair out of her face after the wind tousled it. The further she went into the hills, the quieter it seemed to become, but Kyoshi was fine to let it be for now.

She might have liked the town, but Kyoshi realized she felt incredibly comfortable in the hills. It might have been her Earthbending side, reaching out to her natural Element, or maybe it was the idea that she would be very familiar with hills such as these by the time her journey ended. Perhaps it was the sensation of treading on unfamiliar ground that attracted her attention, but it would take some more experience with the world before she could reach that conclusion.

As she reached the top of the highest hill, she got a nice view of the area around her. To the south, she could barely make out the buildings of her village, small plumes of smoke rising from one or two. To the north was a large field leading to another forest and hills, and Kyoshi spotted a few small animals darting around looking for food. The land itself was flanked on either side by ocean, sheer cliffs of rock dividing earth and water. As much as she would have liked to stay awhile and take in the scenery around her, Kyoshi reminded herself to stay focused and pressed on, not even noticing as the path before her began to become overgrown with grass.

_Did my past lives ever deal with things like this?_ She thought as she began across the field. _I'm sure some of them did... Maybe I should find a way to talk to them. _She frowned. Lau Dan's teachings had helped her explore her spiritual side to a limited extent, but he had told her nothing about being the Avatar. She would have criticized him on that, but then again it would be extremely unlikely that he had mentored the Avatar before, and he had tried to give Kyoshi a normal life without worries. She could respect that, although she would have liked just a bit more mentoring in the ways of spirits before being told she was the Avatar.

_I'll find someone to teach me... maybe an Airbender. They're supposed to be very spiritual, aren't they?_ She made a note to find an Airbender as soon as possible, most likely after or during her Firebending training. As she neared the other end of the field, she saw another path, large enough to be considered a proper road, and after a quick check of the position of the sun she set off towards the north, silently hoping that this road would take her all the way to Omashu.

...

_Kyoshi stood on a mountainside, smoke swirling around her body. Before her stood close to fifty Water Tribesmen, some bearing injuries from a previous fight and all bound by ropes to keep them from moving. The one closest to her was an older man with half of his face covered in swirling tattoos, glaring at her as she approached._

"_Well, are you happy, Avatar?" he spat as she came face to face with him. "You've beaten me once again."_

"_I am not the same person you faced in the Fire Nation, Akhlut." Kyoshi replied. "I take no pride in defeating you here, only the knowledge that I have made sure the world has remained in balance."_

"_Of course, you and your kind would speak of balance. You believe that just because you have a connection to the spirit of this world that you understand how it works?"_

"_I believe I have a greater understanding than you." the man did not respond as Kyoshi turned and walked back to the edge of the cliff. "You should have taken my offer of clemency back then."_

"_Oh, I am positively shaking in my boots." Akhlut sneered. "If you wouldn't finish the job then, I know you won't now. Or was what you said about all life being sacred just a lie to hide your weakness. Go on, give me a slap on the wrist and send me back to the Water Tribe or wherever you think I won't cause trouble. Because I'll be back, and when I do come back, you will recognize my position in this world."_

"_I did say that all life is sacred," Kyoshi said, turning back to her prisoners. "But I've realized something since then; the duties of the Avatar must come before my own personal vows." She took a breath before her eyes flashed, power flowing into every part of her body. She brought her hands upward, causing a cone of earth to form around each of the Water Tribe prisoners before her. "As for you, your place in this world is five hundred feet below the Patola Mountains; even I would have some trouble breaking out of there, and as far as I know there is not much water for any of you to Bend." Kyoshi brought her hands up again and parted them, causing the entire mountain range to shake as a fissure opened up beneath the prisoners and sent them plummeting into the depths._

"_This is your punishment, Akhlut." she said before the man was taken to his doom. "This is justice."_

Kyoshi's eyes snapped open, her sudden awakening causing her to bury her fist into the ground. Once she came back to her senses, she realized that she was not standing on some mountain top condemning a man to death, but in a forest just off the road to Omashu. The sun was already shining over the treetops, painting the sky with pinks and reds as the world awoke. Kyoshi took another breath to calm herself, pulling her hand from the ground and sitting up.

_What was that all about?_ She thought. _A dream?... No, not a dream, it was too real to be a dream..._ she shook her head. _Whatever it was, let's hope that's the last of it._ Kyoshi yawned and stood, walking over to a nearby tree and fetching her supplies. After helping herself to a small breakfast and covering up any sign that she might have been there, she packed up and relocated the path, getting her bearing once more to make sure she did not head off in the wrong direction. Her body was sore from sleeping in uncomfortable positions, but that soreness began to depart the further she walked.

Her path took her mainly through the forest, occasionally looping towards the mountains or the coast. The air around her was noticeably warmer, due in part to the subtle changes in climate as she headed north. The road itself was becoming more and more worn, with Kyoshi able to spy slowly forming ruts from many years of being traveled by carts and wagons. Even the forest around her showed signs of human activity; a few trees had been cut down, and she saw signs of camps that other travelers had made, some rather old while others showed signs of recent use. _Maybe speaking with someone might be a good thing..._

Kyoshi frowned; her reservations about being the Avatar had come back into mind, specifically those concerning the fact that she was a farm girl asked to bring balance to the world. She had no idea what condition the world was really in, much less how she was supposed to conduct herself before leaders or generals. _Maybe I should have listened to Mei when she was going on about "etiquette"... but she's never been outside of town; maybe things have changed._

_Well, I'm sure I'll be able to get some answers in the next village._ Her doubts dealt with, Kyoshi quickened her pace, giving herself a little boost with her Earthbending. If she was in a real hurry she would have started riding a wave of earth, but that might have caused damaged and attracted unwanted attention. She would still need to find time to practice, though, so she made a note to keep an eye out for spots off the road so that she could practice and meditate in private.

As Kyoshi came down the next hill, she got a glimpse of the valley below. It was still mostly forest, but the trees began to thin out the further north she looked. Beyond them lay yet more hills, these one wrapped in fog and thus difficult to see. She could hear the sound of wind rippling through the leaves, a soothing sound that reminded Kyoshi just how large the world was. She reached out with her energy, trying to see just how far she could reach. She even risk reaching out beyond the ground, trying to see if she could channel her energy through other sources besides her natural element.

She was almost caught off guard by just how far she could reach, and what she could feel. While reaching out through the other elements was still outside of her grasp, she could feel much further than she ever had before, almost a quarter mile. Every tree, stone, bush and animal within that radius, anything touching the ground, she could feel. She could feel the wind blowing through the branches of the trees, a tingling sensation that ran up and down her arms, and beneath her boots she could feel meadow voles and gopher mice as they dug their burrows and searched for insects to eat.

_This is what it feels like to be part of the earth._

...

Six days into her journey, and Kyoshi found a pond. It was not very large, more of a glorified puddle than anything, but it was deep enough to come up to her waist. Seeing as it was unoccupied, and willing to take a small rest from her journey, Kyoshi had stopped just before dinnertime to bathe and practice her Bending.

She had set her clothes out to dry on a rock, positioned in the sunniest spot she could find, while she practiced passing a few boulders around some trees. She brought one in close before punching, shattering the boulder into pieces and launching each piece forward, each piece finding its own tree and sinking into the wood. She swept her open hand towards her chest, calling the broken pieces back to her before reforming into their original shape. That task complete, she leapt up into the air, spun, and then brought her ankle down on the rock, drilling it into the ground with enough force to cause the water of the pond to ripple.

_As fun as this is, I really should get going._ Kyoshi returned the rocks she had used to their original positions and grabbed her clothes, checking them over to make sure that they were dry. _I suppose when I learn how to Waterbend drying clothes won't be too much of an-_

A tremor. Someone was coming.

Kyoshi tried not to panic, instead pulling her clothes and boots on as fast as she could. She knew she could just be overreacting, and whoever it was that was approaching was not someone to fear, but her fight with the men back at her village was still ringing in her mind. Maybe it was them, searching the woods for someone to attack. As soon as she was dressed, she grabbed her pack and made for a nearby tree, ducking behind it and peeking out as she felt the person approaching.

At first she saw and heard nothing, just the sounds of the forest around her. But then she heard... singing. Slightly off key singing, like what her father used to sing when she was a little girl in order for her to go to sleep. Kyoshi might not have been the best at distinguishing voices, but she knew that this was not one of the men who had attacked her.

Her thoughts were confirmed when the person stepped out of the woods. It was a young man, probably only two or three years older than her. He was a bit shorter than her, and slightly thin, but he did have a weathered look about him as if he had been traveling for some time. He wore simple workman's clothes, worn from time and faded from exposure, and in his hand he grasped a medium-sized walking stick. He did not see her, instead stopping by the pond and setting his supplies down.

Kyoshi watched the man as he washed his face, and she knew that she should leave. He did not look too dangerous, but looks could be deceiving. Also, it seemed rather rude of her to watch him from the shadows; if he did find her, then he might take offense. _But what can he do? I'm the Avatar._ She shook her head and turned to leave, drawing a line in her head back to the main road through the trees. She cast one glance back at the man before beginning to leave.

However, she did not watch just where she was stepping. With her first step her foot came down on a large, dry branch, a loud crack echoing through the trees. Kyoshi froze in place for several seconds, mortified that she had just given away her position.

"Who's there?" the man called. "If you're here to rob me, I don't have anything worth stealing... well, anything _physical_, that is..." Kyoshi did not move, although she could feel the man grab his walking stick. "I warn you, I am well versed in the use of walking sticks." _I should just leave... no, he'll follow me._ With a groan of frustration, she turned around and re-entered the clearing, drawing her energy into her hands in case he decided to attack her.

"I didn't mean to frighten you." she said, stopping about ten feet from the man. "I heard you were coming and I thought you were a bandit, so I hid." The man seemed surprised at seeing her, but after a moment brought his walking stick down and leaned on it.

"Yeah, that's happened to me before." he said. "Let me guess, you're an Earthbender?"

"Um, yes?"

"Makes sense; Earthbenders are really good at feeling things coming up to them. I mean, just last week I accidentally walked in on these two guys and they tried to smash my head in for disturbing them." _I think I know which two you are talking about._

"How did you escape?"

"Badgermole." he said, grinning. When Kyoshi raised an eyebrow, the man continued on. "A badgermole happened to be hunting nearby and I guess it mistook my heartbeat for a Wolf Bat's or something. I got away from the others in the confusion."

"... You're lying, aren't you?" Kyoshi said. The man sighed.

"Yeah. They took all my money and left me in a hole. Took me a day to dig myself out. The badgermole story just sounds more... impressive." there was a pause. "Oh, forgot to introduce myself. I'm Sun, wandering minstrel."

"'Minstrel'?"

"I wanted to go for 'sell sword', but 'minstrel' scares fewer people away... although I don't have an instrument, or a sword for that matter." Sun shrugged. "Eh, I'll get one eventually... So, what's your name?"

"... Kyoshi."

"Pleasure to meet you, Kyoshi. So, where you headed?"

"Why would you want to know?" Kyoshi asked, taking a step forward. She did not want to sound rude or threatening, but she could not help herself. Must have been an Avatar thing.

"Just curious." Sun raised a hand defensively. "You're the first person I've seen in almost two weeks that hasn't tried to kill me or draft me on sight. So, where you headed? Omashu?"

"... Yes. I'm heading to Omashu to..." Kyoshi pressed her nails into her palms. She did not want to tell this man that she was heading to the Fire Nation, much less that she was the Avatar. She needed a cover story, something she could tell other passersby until she was fully trained. "To visit my aunt. She and my mother have lost touch with one another, and I was going to Omashu to see if she was okay."

"Sounds like fun." Sun smiled. "Hey, I'm heading in that direction. We could be travelling partners or something."

"I'd rather not."

"Aw, why? We're both heading in the same direction, and we're going to run into each other again sooner or later. I'll just go with you to Omashu, and then you'll never see me again... unless we meet up again sometime." Kyoshi thought it over. Sun did not seem like a bad person, and certainly did not seem like any kind of fighter, but he was still not someone she could fully trust.

_Try not to be too paranoid, Kyoshi,_ she thought. _You'll only turn away the people you're trying to help._

"... Okay, but just to Omashu." Kyoshi turned to leave, trudging through the underbrush back towards the main road.

"Great... Hey, don't leave without me!" Sun hurried to catch up with her, finally reaching Kyoshi as she reached the road. "So, what do you do when you're not wandering around?"

"My parents are farmers." Kyoshi said as the two began walking. "I help them out during harvest."

"Sounds... nice." there was a pause. "Sorry, nomad's perspective there."

"I see. I guess you are the type of person who enjoys travel?"

"Oh yes. Wish I was an Airbender, then I'd be able to get from place to place faster." Sun twirled his walking stick. "There's just so much that you learn and see when you travel. That's part of why I'm going to Omashu; I imagine that there are a few good folk tales and songs somewhere out there that people wouldn't mind sharing." there was another pause. "Want to hear one?"

"Not now... maybe some other time."

"Fine." yet another pause. "You know any songs?"

"Not really." Kyoshi let out a small sigh. "My sister is the one who's more knowledgeable about songs and dances. She always participated in the harvest festivals and coming of age ceremonies back home, while I never really got into them. She'd always talk about going to Gaoling or Omashu and living there, maybe meeting some rich man and marrying him."

"And you're not into that sort of living?"

"No." this caused Sun to raise an eyebrow.

"Well, if she's the one that loves the social life, why are you going to Omashu instead of her?"

"I'm the only Bender in our family," _And the Avatar._ "So my parents thought that I'd be able to make the trip faster. She didn't seem all that broken up about it, though, so maybe it was only a phase."

"Maybe... I'm guessing you'd rather be back home?"

"Yes." Kyoshi nodded. "I'd want that more than anything in the world."

"Fair enough, a life on the road isn't for everyone." Sun looked off into the woods. "I've got a few uncles who gave up wandering to settle down. I think one of them is a teacher in Ba Sing Se or something, but I haven't been that way in a while... Hopefully he isn't, because he might steal my dream from me."

"And what dream is that?"

"Documenting the Avatar's life." Kyoshi almost stopped walking in order to look at Sun.

"I'm sorry?"

"Yeah, it's kind of out there, but it's always been my dream. You see, many people in my family have attended to or met powerful leaders; my grandmother spent a month in the Fire Lord's court, one of my great aunts married the King of Omashu, that sort of thing. Many generations of wanderers, and yet none of us have ever met the Avatar. So I thought 'hey, I could do that, and get his biography to go with it'."

"His what?"

"His biography... You know what that is, right?"

"I was born in a small farming village; we don't have a diverse amount of reading material."

"A biography is a book that compiles the events and transitions in a person's life. Look, all the past Avatars have been identified more or less on what crises they stopped, and not much else. What about all the side adventures and sights between point A and point B?"

"I imagine that might be rather private."

"Well, maybe, but there's got to be something that they'd want people to know; everyone knows the achievements of the Avatar, not so much the life of the Avatar. I figured that it might make the Avatar more approachable than he is." he smiled. "What do you think? Do you think the Avatar is unapproachable? I've never met him, and I heard that he's actually pretty laid back, but most of that is second hand knowledge."

"I don't think I am the most qualified person to be asking." Sun shrugged and fell silent. As they continued to walk, Kyoshi began to mull over the conversation in her head.

_Is the Avatar really unapproachable? Maybe he's just exaggerating... But what if he isn't? Are people just going to fear me when I try to help them? _She looked back to Sun, the man completely oblivious to her attention._ Maybe there's more to this man than I realize... I'll just have to be patient. Even if there isn't, he's just traveling to Omashu, not any further._

_I'll just have to keep who I am a secret until he's gone._

* * *

**The hardest part of this chapter was the first two thirds; it's hard writing no dialogue at all... I'm sure I'll get better at it, if not in this story then in another one.**

**We'll see Kyoshi doing some more Avatar-stuff in the next chapter, or at the very least being helpful to someone other than herself or Sun.**

**Also, that dream thingy: We'll get the whole story eventually**

**I don't own _Avatar_ or its related characters. Reviews and follows are very much appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

After four more days of travel, Kyoshi and Sun had arrived at a village. It was larger than her home town, but still small enough that Kyoshi could see from one end to the other with ease. The houses looked sturdier than those she had seen before, and they were raised slightly off the ground by small stilts. Unlike her home town, there was little in the way of activity, with few people to be seen. Those that they did see merely gave the two weary looks as they passed by, if they even acknowledged their presence at all.

"Not very friendly, are they?" Sun asked as they proceeded further into town.

"I wouldn't say that," Kyoshi replied as she walked an older woman pass by. "I'd say... tired."

"... Maybe you're right." there was a pause. "Hey, maybe I try to cheer them up, like a show or something?"

"I'm not sure how well that would work. Besides, I would like to get to Omashu as quickly as possible, and something like a show might slow me down."

"You underestimate the power of showmanship." Kyoshi rolled her eyes before scanning the buildings once again. Most seemed to be homes or shops, save for a large building in the center of the village which she guessed was the town hall. The next largest building had a worn sign dangling from a post, along with a few chairs placed outside. _Well, it's better than nothing._

"I think I found a place where we can stay the night." she said, adjusting her pack and walking towards the building. Sun did not reply immediately, but did follow after her. Kyoshi quickly walked up the steps and entered the building, finding a large room with several small tables and a small fireplace. A few older men were busying themselves with a card game off to one corner, and as Kyoshi and Sun walked further in they were met by a woman dressed in a browning apron.

"Good afternoon," the woman said, giving Kyoshi a friendly smile. "My name is Hua. What can I do for you two?"

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Hua," Kyoshi gave a small bow. "My... friend and I were wondering if you might have rooms for us to stay the night."

"Oh of course. It's been awhile since we've had any travelers come through here, but we still have a few rooms available." the woman led Kyoshi and Sun to the nearest table, bidding them to sit. "Have you been traveling long?"

"Ten days, more or less." Kyoshi said, taking her seat. "I'm on my way to Omashu to visit my aunt."

"I see. I've always heard that Omashu is a beautiful city." there was a pause. "You must be tired from your journey. Can I get you two anything to drink?"

"Do you have any ale?" Sun asked, drawing a curious glance from Kyoshi. "... Tea makes me sleepy."

"I think we might have some in the back. And for you?" Hua looked to Kyoshi.

"I'll just have some tea, thank you." Hua nodded and went into the kitchen, leaving Kyoshi and Sun alone. "She seems friendly enough."

"True, but one person does not a majority make. It's like you said, everything here seems rather tired or rundown. I mean, those guys in the corner haven't exactly been all sunshine and flowers." Kyoshi looked to the men that Sun had described. They seemed focused on their game, but one did cast a suspicious look at her, to which she averted her eyes and looked back to Sun.

"Well, I'm sure they might just be an exception. But you are right about things seeming a bit... run down." Sun nodded as Hua returned with a mug, a cup and a small pot of tea. The two travelers nodded their thanks and took their drinks, Kyoshi taking a small sip from her tea before allowing it to cool down.

"So, Hua," Kyoshi said. "How long have you lived here?"

"All my life." the woman said, taking a seat across from Kyoshi. "My father ran this place until he died, and I've watched over it for the last twenty years." she sighed. "It used to be easier, but I'm not getting any younger, and not many people still travel this road."

"Why?"

"Better roads from Gaoling, superstitions, who knows? We get by well enough, but times have been hard."

"You said superstitions?" Sun asked, leaning forward. "I'm a collector of stories, and I've always been interested in folklore like that."

"Well, it's not exactly folklore." Hua adjusted her apron. "About three months ago, a ferocious monster attacked some of the houses at the southern end of the village. No one was hurt, but we were pretty scared. Every night since then, it has come back and prowled through our streets, and it's tried to break into town hall several times."

"Has anyone tried to stop it?" Kyoshi asked.

"A few have tried, back when the thing first showed up, but it merely swatted them away and their weapons did little to slow it. I think..." Hua looked away for a moment, then back at Kyoshi. "I think it might be a vengeful spirit, come here to punish us." Kyoshi blinked. Lau Dan had told her a little about the spirits, and that they could become angry if the world was out of balance, but he made it seem like such outbursts only happened on rare occasions. _Maybe he was wrong and it is more of a regular occurrence._ She was prevented from answering by one of the other men in the room.

"Eh, you'n your superstitions." he said, looking up from his game. "That thing isn't a spirit. It's probably just a badgermole tryin' to take some new territory."

"Oh? And I take it that you've seen it close up?" Hua shot back.

"As a matter of fact, I have. Didn't look like any kind of spirit to me, just big, brown and furry. Has to be a badgermole, or a platypus bear, somethin' big like that." Kyoshi took another sip from her tea, trying to think of the right thing to say. If it was a vengeful spirit, then it was her duty as the Avatar to calm it down, and even if it was just some wild animal she could do something to try and scare it off. As Hua and the man continued arguing, Kyoshi set aside her tea and spoke up.

"Maybe there's something I can do." Kyoshi said, drawing everyone's attention. "I'm a Bender, and I have some knowledge of spirits."

"Get in line, girl," the man scoffed "We've already had Benders come through here and try to get rid of the thing, and they failed."

"Also, you are a young woman," Hua said. "Your knowledge of spirits might not be complete enough to deal with something of this manner." _Actually, I might be overqualified_.

"But someone has to try." Kyoshi stood. "Your town is obviously suffering from the presence of this creature, and will continue to suffer until something is done. Just give me a chance to face this creature, and maybe I'll be able to stand against it."

"Really?" the man laughed again "And who do you think you are? The Avatar?" Kyoshi furrowed her brow. She could have told them that she was the Avatar, but that might have hurt her position even more. Perhaps now was when action would be needed more than words.

"I think I am the best chance you have at keeping your village alive." the man snorted and returned to his game, muttering under his breath. Hua gave Kyoshi a worried look, while Sun sat in silence and said nothing.

"I'm sure you mean well, dear." Hua said after a pause. "But I think that pursuing this might just get you and other people injured."

"I... I suppose." Really, Kyoshi knew she could not sit idly. She needed to find some way to solve this problem, or she would go against everything the Avatar stood for. "Is there someone around here that might know more about what's happening?"

"Well, the local magistrate has been here for some time, and would know the goings on of the town even better than me; he might be able to satiate your curiosity." Hua pointed in the direction of the town hall. "He spends most of his time at the town hall, and I'm sure you could get an audience with him."

"Thank you." Kyoshi bowed again and turned to leave.

"Want me to go with you?" Sun asked.

"No, I... I think it's best if I go alone for this."

"... Okay." Sun shrugged and returned to his drink as Kyoshi left the building. Although she had only really known him for four days, she did not like the idea of cutting him out of her plan. She set that thought aside and made her way towards the town hall, knocking once she reached the door. There was a pause before a man opened the door and sized her up.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" the man asked.

"My name is Kyoshi," she responded. "I would like to speak with the magistrate about the-"

"Mayor Cheng cannot be disturbed at this time. Come back tomorrow." With that the man slammed the door, leaving Kyoshi alone. Frustration forming in her mind, Kyoshi knocked again, seeing the same man open the door. "You're still here?"

"I must speak with the magistrate immediately. It concerns the spirit monster that has attacked your town-"

"Oh, what are you? Another hotshot 'monster hunter' that thinks they can gain some fame and money with a few boasts?"

"No, I'm nothing like that-"

"We're not interested." And once again Kyoshi found the door slammed on her face. She stayed silent for a moment before banging on the door once again.

"For someone who is in a position of power, you are terrible at your job!" she shouted. "I thought you would want to know if someone was willing to help. What if the Avatar came to your town and offered to dismiss the spirit? Would you turn them away too?"

"Of course not." the man replied, not even bothering to open the door. "But you're not the Avatar, are you?"

"What if I was?"

"Then I would say that you had terrible manners and do not make a convincing Avatar. At the very least you could show off your Bending skills and _prove_ that you're the Avatar instead of forcing people to listen to you." _I'd like to Bend a boulder through your skull, but I don't want to start off my career as Avatar by killing _more_ people._

"Can you at least give me a chance to speak to Mayor Cheng and plead my case?"

"I already told you, Mayor Cheng cannot be disturbed. Go away." Kyoshi pressed her nails into her palms, trying to hold back her anger. Eventually she realized that just standing by and arguing would get her nowhere, and smashing through would cause more problems than it solved.

_Fine, you won't let me help? I'll do this on my own._

...

The sun began to set as Kyoshi finished off her drink. Most of the villagers had returned to their homes, locking themselves inside and awaiting the arrival of the monster. Hua had insisted that Kyoshi go and get some rest, and find some shelter from the monster, but Kyoshi had just asked for more tea and a place where she could wait for the beast.

Hua had tried to convince her to back down, but Kyoshi was immovable. Like the earth.

"Hey," Kyoshi turned as Sun approached. "So, I noticed you were still down here. Is something up?"

"The magistrate's assistant wouldn't let me help, so I decided to wait and face the monster whether he wants me to or not."

"... Really? Aren't you worried you might get yourself killed?"

"I'm sure I'll be able to defend myself, and if necessary retreat and hide from the creature."

"Well, if you say so." Sun massaged the back of his head. "Still, I mean if it _is_ a big spirit monster, it's probably not going to take too kindly to you throwing a bunch of rocks at it... Do you know a super-secret spirit calming technique or something?"

"No..." there was a pause.

"Okay, I'm just a bit confused here. If you don't have a spirit calming technique then how are you going to calm down an angry spirit? I mean, it's not like you're the Avatar or something like that." Sun chuckled, but Kyoshi did not respond. "... You're not the Avatar, right?"

"Why do you ask?" Sun did not have time to respond, for the air around them seemed to grow chilly. A soft wind blew through the village, causing Kyoshi's hair to stand on end. Deep inside her she could feel a deeper shift, as if the entire world had stopped for the briefest of instances. She was not certain if Sun could hear it, but she thought that she heard a slight moan from the dark. _It's here._ "Sun, get inside."

"I'll... Yeah, that's a good idea. But if you almost get killed, I'm coming out after you." Kyoshi stepped out into the street, turning towards the forest. The wind had picked up slightly, tousling her hair as she walked down the road. She allowed a little bit of her energy flow into her feet, causing the ground to crunch beneath her boots.

Out of the shadows came the creature. It did not look like a badgermole, but in the low light it could have easily been mistaken for one. To Kyoshi, it looked more like a giant wolf, its eyes glowing a dull yellow. Its head was as long as her body, and its claws were as thick as a fence post. Saliva dripped from its jaws, and each breath came out as a ragged snort. It stopped ten feet away from her, sizing her up as she planted her feet.

"You must be the monster that has been attacking this village." she said. The monster growled at her, to which she responded by wrenching a boulder from the ground. "Your attacks have only sowed distress and fear among these people. I ask you to leave now, and perhaps find some way to calm your anger towards them." the creature did not respond at first. It continued to look at Kyoshi, as if it was gauging if she was a genuine threat. Kyoshi considered throwing her boulder at the monster, but that might have only made it angry.

Kyoshi had little time to react before the monster flash stepped forward and swatted her with a paw. She was not hit by the claws, but the force was enough to drive the air from her lungs and send her flying off to the side twenty feet. Instead of pursuing her, the monster roared and charged towards the town hall, leaving Kyoshi ample time to recover.

"Get away from there!" Kyoshi shouted, grabbing her discarded boulder and hurling it at the monster. The rock sailed through the air and struck the beast in the back of the head, exploding into chunks as the creature stopped and turned. She punched another rock forward, but like the last one it had little to no effect on the creature. With another snort, the beast charged her, but this time she was ready and launched herself into the air, several more rocks following after her. As she spun in the air, she launched the boulders at her target, stone and dust raining down around the creature. It leapt up and snapped at her, but she was already out of reach. As she touched down, Kyoshi turned around as quickly as possible, just as the beast flash stepped again and tackled her.

The creature roared into her face, a deafening sound that caused Kyoshi to flinch. She tried to use her Earthbending to free herself, but the monster had her pinned completely. _Can't move... I need to get out of here before it kills me... and find a way to calm it down._

_But my Bending isn't working. How am I supposed to beat something I can't hurt?_ Kyoshi squirmed underneath the creature's paw, managing to free one arm. The monster tried roaring at her again, but this got it a wave of dirt to the face, distracting it long enough for Kyoshi to allow the earth to swallow her up and hide from view. The beast searched for her, not wanting her to escape, but then decided that she was not worth its time before charging back towards the town hall.

It had almost reached the steps before Kyoshi burst from the ground in front of it. She raised a wall of earth before stepping back, hoping that a little distance between her and the beast might give her some room to maneuver. The monster just smashed through with little effort, so Kyoshi raised a second wall, thicker and higher than the last. This one lasted only a little longer before the beast broke through, and now Kyoshi was running out of room, earth and options.

_Don't panic, Kyoshi; you can get through this._ Kyoshi reached out as far as she could with her Bending before pulling her hands back. The result caused a massive wave of earth to come crashing down on the monster's back, distracting it as Kyoshi stepped forward and punched, another pillar shooting out of the ground and hitting the creature in the face. Her attacks were not hurting the monster, but they were pushing it back and giving her more room to work with.

At least, until the beast flash stepped around her and struck her again. She was able to resist most of the impact, but she was still knocked away. She tumbled across the ground, but with a quick flick of her wrist was able to get a grip on the ground and stopped sliding.

_You'll get yourself killed trying to fight it like this,_ a voice whispered in her ear.

_Who's there?_ The voice did not answer, and Kyoshi would have asked again if she was not attacked by the beast once more.

_Look beyond the strength and appearance, and all will be revealed,_ the voice responded. Kyoshi furrowed her brow. How was she supposed to do something like that? She ducked away from another strike, using a pillar of earth to launch herself onto a nearby rooftop.

The beast circled below, growling at her. She knew that it could very easily claw its way up and try to kill her, but something was holding it back. She took a long look at the creature, scanning it for any weaknesses. The monster stopped circling for a moment, no doubt doing the same as her.

_Maybe... maybe an appeal to force isn't what I need._

"Why are you here?" she asked. The creature continued to look at her, although it did not attack. Kyoshi used the tiles on the roof to let herself down, reaching out with her energy once again in case it decided to attack her. "Can you understand me? If you can, perhaps I can help you calm down." the creature growled at her, but still did not attack. Instead, it looked directly into her eyes, its own eyes glowing slightly. _Does it know who I am?_

Without thinking, Kyoshi raised her hand and advanced. It was meant to calm the beast, and it seemed to be working as its growling had died down. It was still looking at her, but it did not try to attack her as she approached. Kyoshi did not release her energy, instead channeling more of it in case the creature was luring her into a trap.

But as she reached the monster, her hand brushed against its head. And Kyoshi understood.

...

Sun was glad that he had stayed back. The creature Kyoshi was fighting was unlike any he had seen or heard about, and would probably have killed him with ease if he had tried to face it. And not only would he have had to worry about the monster, but there was always the threat of being caught in the crossfire of Kyoshi's Bending and squashed by rocks. He preferred not being squashed by rocks, so even as Kyoshi was driven back he stayed behind, watching her fight the beast.

_She might get mad, though,_ he thought as he saw Kyoshi leap onto a nearby building. _I mean, I did say I'd help her if she got knocked out... Okay, if things get worse I'll go out and help her... but what am I supposed to do, hit the thing with my walking stick?_ He looked around the inn. There had to be something he could use as a more effective weapon than a stick, but in the darkness he could not see anything of use.

"... Eh, I've had to deal with worse odds." he turned back to the fight just as Kyoshi had begun walking towards the creature, her hand out in front of her. Sun raised an eyebrow; was Kyoshi trying to make peace with the creature, or was there some other plan she had in mind? Sun waited until Kyoshi placed her hand against the creature's head, his mind thinking up numerous scenarios for what could happen next.

He was caught completely off guard by what did happen.

After Kyoshi had placed her hand against the monster's head, there was a pause before her eyes began to glow. The area around where she had placed her hand began to glow as well, and a gust of wind flowed through the buildings and whipped around her. The beast shimmered for the briefest of instances, briefly shrinking and becoming less intimidating.

But it was not the creature Sun was focused on. His attention was placed on Kyoshi, and he continued to stare at her as her eyes glowed even brighter. His mind was trying to come up with a coherent thought, but to no avail. The entire world save for Kyoshi seemed to fade into the background, as if it was just him and her standing alone in a field. Sun retained enough control to prevent his mouth from hanging open, but only just.

_... Kyoshi is the _Avatar_?_

...

There is a temple within the Fire Nation, just above the capital city. It was visited by few people, and the Fire Sages that maintained its grounds and buildings were content to leave it that way. There was no need for the prying eyes of those that did not understand the intricacies of their work and their duties. They themselves would only travel to the capital during times of great importance, but as the Fire Nation was at peace such trips were few and far between.

Adorning the wall that faced the entrance to the main temple was a mural depicting the early years of the Fire Sages and the Avatar that founded their order. It was a source of pride for the Sages, a reminder of a glorious history serving the Avatar and the Fire Nation. But today, something had changed about it, something that the Sages had been awaiting but were still caught off guard by.

The eyes of the Avatar's image began to glow.

"Send word to the other temples." the abbot of the temple said to one of the lesser Sages. "The Avatar has returned."

...

In the Northern Air Temple, the monk Samten meditated. Most of his fellow Air Nomads had turned in for the night, but he wanted to ease his mind first before going to sleep, something that he felt was being lost on the younger Airbenders. Not that he could blame them; the thrill of the air and the energy flowing through oneself was distracting at times, and although he was an older man now Samten was still most comfortable in the air, travelling either by glider or Sky Bison.

_Still, a little peace now and then makes those moments of freedom all the more special._ He would find a way to better impart that knowledge on his students, but for now he relaxed and allow the stresses of the day to be washed away like scum down a stream.

However, he was broken from his mediation by a glow. He opened his eyes and looked at the statue of Avatar Gaisang, blinking in surprise when he saw the statue's eyes.

They were glowing.

As his surprise wore away, Samten smiled. _The Avatar has returned._

...

While it was not as large as its northern sister, the Southern Water Tribe was still a magnificent sight. Walls of solid ice surrounded a thriving settlement, hundreds of men, women and children living in peace with one another. Traders and fishermen from the north came and went, bringing goods and supplies that could not be acquired at the South Pole in exchange for tools, pelts and jewelry. Its relative isolation was not so much a handicap as it was a selling point; northern wares could be found much easier, and thus the Southern Water Tribe was considered exotic among nations.

A woman was on her way home, a basket of fish and sea prunes tucked under her arm. It had been a slow day at the healing house, so she decided to head home early to prepare a special meal for her husband and children. The last year had been good for them, and she felt like they needed a little time to celebrate.

She was about half way home when the entire block was covered in a blue glow. She was puzzled; she had only lived in the Southern Water Tribe about ten years, and never had she seen something like this. She looked around, trying to spy the source of the light, and as she looked others came out of their homes just as puzzled as she was. The only one that did not seem confused was an old woman by the name of Luava, who stood off to the side and grinned as the others looked around.

"Luava," the woman asked, moving off the street and approaching the other woman. "You know what's going on, don't you?"

"Oh yes, my dear Auma" she said, still smiling. "It was almost thirty-two years ago when I saw this last." she pointed towards another building, a shrine that had been built to honor the last Avatar that was born in the Southern Water Tribe. Auma looked up and saw that the spire at the top of the shrine was glowing brightly.

"The Avatar has returned."

...

Kyoshi saw a building, one buried beneath sand. It was vast, going on for miles in every direction, and filled with thousands of books, scrolls, and maps. Where exactly this building was, she could not determine, but that was not what she focused on.

A man stood before a giant owl. They said something, and the own touched a wing to the man's forehead. There was a flash, and the image shifted.

A fox waited outside the town hall, as if it were a dog waiting for its master. The man who had turned her away saw the fox, and slammed the door on it, demanding that it leave and never return. Another flash, and Kyoshi saw her fight from the creature's point of view.

"**I understand,"** she said, her voice echoing with the voices of thousands before her. As she pulled her hand away from the creature's head, her eyes returned to their normal hue, and once again she nearly doubled over from exhaustion. As she took a few breaths to calm down and recover, she heard a whine before something rough and wet brushed against her forehead. She looked up and saw the same fox from her vision, standing where the monster had been only moments before. "I am sorry for attacking you, but perhaps next time you should not be so destructive when trying to complete your tasks." the fox whimpered as Kyoshi got back to her feet.

"I will help you retrieve what was promised." with that, Kyoshi turned and walked towards the town hall, the fox following close behind her. The people of the town, perhaps curious to see if she was still alive, or perhaps wondering what that glowing was, had begun to venture out of their homes, some of them gathering into groups and talking to themselves. Kyoshi ignored them for now, instead focusing on the town hall and what she would say to her "friend". She walked up the steps and banged on the door, waiting for a response.

"You're still alive?" the man asked when he opened the door and saw her.

"Where is Mayor Cheng?" Kyoshi asked before gesturing to the fox. "This spirit has come to collect what was promised to his master."

"You... you actually listened to that _thing_?" the man asked. "I don't have time for this. Go away." the man moved to close the door, but Kyoshi acted fast. Grabbing a nearby fragment of rock, she drew back and sent it hurtling through the door, splintering it and knocking the man behind it to the ground. As he recovered, Kyoshi stepped forward and pulled him up, raising him so that his feet were just out of reach of the floor.

"If you will not listen to me as the person who just found the easiest solution to your problem, then listen to me as the Avatar." she growled. "Where. Is. Mayor. Cheng?"

"Th-the Avatar wouldn't threaten people." the man squeaked.

"Sorry if I am not Kuruk, but your actions and blatant disrespect for the spirits have endangered the entire village. If I need to threaten you, then so be it. Where is Mayor Cheng?"

"... Up the stairs, down the hallway to your left." Kyoshi nodded and set the man down, marching up the stairs followed by the fox. _If this Mayor Cheng knew about this all along and did nothing..._ she approached the door, mentally preparing for whatever kind of person would allow his town to fall into such a negligent state.

She stepped into the room and found a large bed, on which rested a sickly old man. His face was thin and wrinkled, what hair he did have left as white as a cloud. Every breath he took was hoarse, and his eyes were clouded and unfocused. Kyoshi hesitated for the briefest of instances, but steeled herself and advanced. "Mayor Cheng?"

"Who... who's there?" the man asked, trying and failing to look around.

"My name is Kyoshi. I... I wanted to talk to you about the spirit that was attacking your village."

"Spirit..." the man coughed. "I didn't know of any spirit attacking our village... unless..." he coughed again. "I-is it still here?" the fox behind Kyoshi let out a small yip and entered the room, crossing over to where the man lay. He managed to sit up enough to see the fox, a sad smile crossing his lips. "I suppose it's time, then..."

"Wait, you _knew_ this would happen?" Kyoshi asked.

"When I was a young man, I found an ancient spirit library in the desert. I asked the spirit Wan Shi Tong for wisdom and knowledge, so that I could lead my people as effectively as possible. He agreed, but on one condition: when I die, he would receive all of my knowledge and memories of the world." he reached out and stroked the fox's head. "Everyone I told has long since passed, and none of these younger folks ever believed me. I've told my attendant, and I asked him to send the spirit to me when it arrived, but I see that he has not listened to me. Tell me, how did you find out about the spirit?"

"... I'm the Avatar, sir. The spirit spoke to me and told me of your arrangement." Mayor Cheng was quiet for a moment.

"I have always longed to meet the Avatar." he looked down. "And now it is on my deathbed that I get that chance. I thank you for bringing this spirit to me, young Avatar." Kyoshi bowed.

"You are welcome... I suppose you'll need some time to compile your memories."

"Yes... and time to select a successor to make sure that this town remains safe." Kyoshi nodded and turned to leave. "One moment, Avatar."

"Yes?"

"In that drawer there," the old man pointed to a small drawer. "There should be fifty gold pieces, all that's left of my personal wealth. I'd like you to have it."

"I can't take something like that, sir."

"I insist. You'll need it more than I will."

"Perhaps this could go to the town, to make sure that it can survive your passing?" there was a pause before Mayor Cheng spoke.

"I suppose that is a wise decision. But still, you may take whatever you need to get you to your next destination."

"Thank you." Kyoshi opened the drawer and pulled the coins out. She nodded her thanks and exited the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

_I'll need to give the money to someone responsible... definitely not that man who started this mess._ Kyoshi went down the stairs and exited the building, and was greeted by a rather large crowd.

"The spirit has been dealt with," she said. "I managed to calm it and it revealed that it had come to collect a debt from Mayor Cheng."

"He didn't do anything to hurt the town, did he?" Hua asked.

"No. He merely asked for wisdom so that he could lead the town more effectively, nothing more. The spirit is here to collect his knowledge and memories when he dies." there were several murmurs among the crowd. "He will remain here until he appoints a successor to take over for him."

"You mean he hasn't?" the man who had turned Kyoshi away asked.

"No, he hasn't, and I doubt he will select someone like you, since not only did your negligence of spiritual matters and your disobedience to Mayor Cheng lead to this mess, but your disrespect for me has also showed that you care more for your idea of security than actually connecting with people that could help your town."

"How was I supposed to know that was the spirit he was talking about, and how was I supposed to know you were the Avatar?"

"I offered to help. Even if I wasn't the Avatar, a wise ruler would have taken whatever help was available during a time like this, but instead you threw me out and did not let me speak my case. And even after I revealed myself, you still tried to get rid of me." the man opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing.

"So... what do we do until Mayor Cheng chooses a successor?" a person in the crowd asked.

"Continue on as before, although I would suggest someone sit in on the mayor in order to hear his decision." Kyoshi produced the coins Mayor Cheng had given her. "Also, I need someone trustworthy to look after these until a new magistrate is selected."

"I'll do it." Hua said, raising her hand. Kyoshi nodded and passed the coins to the innkeeper.

"Now, return to your homes and rest. I'll fix the damages I've caused." there was a pause, but soon the crowd began to dissipate. As they walked back to their homes, Kyoshi stepped out into the street, reaching out with her Bending and gathering up all the debris and broken stone she could reach.

"Well, that was certainly impressive." she looked up and saw Sun standing in front of her, a large grin on his face.

"Yes, I hope you have fun writing about it for your story." Kyoshi smoothed out several holes in the road before moving on, Sun following behind her.

"So, I don't want to be intrusive or anything, but..." he shuffled his foot on the ground for a bit before speaking. "Are you really the Avatar?"

"... Yes, I am. I didn't tell you about it because... Because I didn't trust you, and I didn't want to deal with any unwanted attention or special treatment."

"... Makes sense." there was a pause. "So... that bit about Omashu?"

"I'm really trying to get to the Fire Nation. My master told me of people in Omashu that might be able to help."

"I see." there was a pause. "So, I know that you said you just wanted me to go to Omashu with you, but can I come to the Fire Nation as well?"

"No."

"Why not?" Sun stopped. "... Did I do something wrong?"

"No, it's just..." Kyoshi turned to look at him. "I think I'd be able to complete my tasks better if I don't have anyone distracting me."

"... Okay, fair enough. But I've traveled by myself before, and let me tell you it's really boring, and you kind of get rude when there aren't any people around to talk to." a pause "... not to say that _you_ are rude, I'm just saying-"

"I understand." Kyoshi turned back to repairing the road. "And... maybe you have a point. I haven't really talked with anyone on the outside, and if the Avatar is supposed to help people then I need to learn their ways if I'm going to help them without offending them." she gave a small smile. "Can you help me with that?"

"Sure, be happy to." he grinned. "I know all about people and what offends them... and I mean that in the best possible way... if there is such a thing..." he sighed. "Guess it's been kind of a long night."

"Why? _I'm_ the one who did everything."

"That's not true! I... gave moral support?" Kyoshi rolled her eyes. _He is a very strange man, indeed._ She dusted her hands off and walked back towards the inn, Sun following close behind.

* * *

**Yay for Avatar stuff. My personal guess, depending on how fast the story progresses, is that the next time we see her glow it up will be in the Fire Nation.**

**Hope you all are enjoying my story. Still don't own _Avatar_ and anything related to it. Reviews and follows are greatly appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Kyoshi and Sun continued north to Omashu, the path before them becoming more worn and settlements becoming more frequent. They would help out wherever and whenever they could, but Kyoshi kept them on a tight schedule to make sure they reached Omashu. Sun protested, saying that the journey itself was more important than the destination, but Kyoshi did not share is sentiments.

"I'm just saying, Omashu isn't really going anywhere," he said as the two left another village. "You don't have to be in a rush to get there."

"I'm not rushing to get to Omashu," Kyoshi replied. "If I was really in a hurry, we would not have helped anyone and just gone straight to Omashu. But I do not want to spend too much time getting distracted from my duties. Avatar Kuruk was distracted, and he allowed the world to fall out of balance."

"Never realized you'd connected with your past lives already."

"Well..." Kyoshi paused. "Actually, I haven't really. I think they've tried to contact me, but I've never really made a full connection. I just knew about Kuruk based off of what my master told me and what I heard from other people, and…" Kyoshi stopped herself. She still had not told Sun about the attack on her family and the first time she had entered the Avatar State (she was beginning to trust him, but not that much), and she did not want to open old wounds like that right now.

"Hmm… Maybe you're doing it wrong."

"And I suppose you have a solution?"

"As a matter of fact, I do; there are a bunch of mountains around Omashu, and you just need to find a nice, tall mountain peak and meditate on it for a while. Then your past lives will open up to you." Kyoshi gave Sun a blank stare.

"… Just like that?"

"Hey, it worked in _The Avatar and the Dragon Queen_; who's to say it won't work again?"

"Isn't that a play?"

"… Yeah, but it's based on real events."

"And who's to say that they didn't exaggerate a few things?" Kyoshi sighed. "Look, Sun, I know you're trying to help me, but _I'm_ the Avatar, not you. I will decide how I contact my past lives."

"Okay… but could you at least give it a try?"

"If I exhaust all other options, then yes I'll give it a try." Sun nodded his thanks and they kept walking. There was a pause before Kyoshi spoke again. "At that first village, when you found out I was the Avatar, you said that travelling alone was not a good thing."

"Yes."

"Well, when we met you had been traveling alone at the time… you didn't just make that bit up about being rude, did you?"

"You know, for the Avatar you're kind of paranoid." Kyoshi gave Sun a small glare as he continued. "And while I was travelling by myself at the time, it doesn't mean I enjoyed it. My family usually moves from place to place together, but every now and then they send someone off to go form another group of wandering nomads."

"And I suppose you were chosen?"

"I was always bad at drawing straws…" Sun mused. "Anyway, I wandered around the Eastern Earth Kingdom for a while, attaching myself to caravans and the like, until I met this Earthbender named Min. He was kind of a boastful guy, and wanted someone like me to go around and tell everyone how amazing he was. We traveled all over the Earth Kingdom, joining contests, visiting villages… getting chased by platypus bears… almost getting him enslaved by sandbenders…"

"Are you just making these stories up, like you did with the badgermole?"

"The thing with the sandbenders actually happened. We were near the Si Wong Desert when we fell in with a bunch of sandbenders. They seemed friendly enough, and we had something like a little party… I think." Sun massaged his head. "It's kind of fuzzy what happened. But anyway, they were playing this card game and I accidentally bet Min as a buy-in. He tried to hit me with a rock, but I managed to win, somehow."

"And he didn't do anything else about it afterwards?"

"Not really. We took the winnings and went to Gaoling, and he decided to stick around for a month with a couple of local girls… at least that's what his note said." Sun frowned. "He also said that he'd taken all the winnings for himself and told the local town watch that I was a wanted criminal named 'the Snake'… I figured I should stay away from Gaoling for a few months, maybe grow a beard or something, and they'll all forget about it."

"That isn't going to be a problem, is it?"

"Not unless you're going to Gaoling." He sighed. "Yeah, so that's why I'm alone. Got a couple Benders mad at me for whatever reason and had to run across the Earth Kingdom to find some peace."

"If its peace you are looking for, I don't think following me around is a good way to find any."

"… Good point." There was another pause.

"I don't want to sound rude, but did you not consider going to the authorities and explaining to them that you had been framed?" Kyoshi said. "You might have had to spend a little time in jail, but there was no need to run off and become a fugitive and ensure a longer sentence should you return."

"I… suppose I could have done that." Sun sighed. "Too late for it now." Kyoshi decided to allow the conversation to drop, for now. It was just like the story of Agni and Koichi; Sun had acted without properly searching for an alternative, and she could not hold that against him._ Not now, at least. If it continues to be a problem, then I shall have to deal with it_.

Their path took them back into the forest. The forest began to thin again as the climate got warmer, with the open air allowing for more light to shine on their path. The air had become a bit more humid than Kyoshi was used to, and she noticed that a line of sweat had formed on her brow. The ground beneath her was also beginning to dry out, making their progress a little easier and allowing her to reach out further with her Bending. Lau Dan had said that dry earth was easier to Bend, but Kyoshi had never noticed any difference when she was younger.

Thinking about her master caused Kyoshi to fiddle with the pendant draped around her neck. What she would pay to hear his instruction and wisdom once again, but she had to remind herself that Lau Dan had cut off her training before she had found out she was the Avatar. He must have understood that she needed to look elsewhere for someone to guide her. _Who, though?_

He had had answers for many things, but he had never had the chance to answer that.

Now, Kyoshi wanted to find a way to connect to her past lives more than ever. Perhaps they would provide her with the guidance she needed. But how would she reach them? While she had practiced for some time meditating and learning about the spirit world, she had never tried to go deeper than just calming herself. And Sun's suggestion of finding a high peak to meditate on did not seem incredibly practical, and would probably be more trouble than it was worth.

_No experience, and the only advice on entering the spirit world comes from an absent minded fugitive…_ she sighed. The universe did not seem very kind to her lately.

…

From the smell of the air, Kyoshi could tell they were nearing water once again. And as the signs of another settlement became apparent, Kyoshi gave a silent prayer to the spirits for their good fortune; they were beginning to run low on supplies and money, and they still had a ways to go before reaching Omashu. Also, Sun had expressed interest in purchasing a map, "to document their progress" as he put it.

_And if we ever got lost, it might come in handy._ She thought.

This town was much like her own, a fishing village supplemented by a few farms. Like the last town many of the buildings were raised up on stilts, although the buildings themselves seemed to be better maintained. Sampans and other boats came and went from the docks, carrying fish and supplies down the river to what Kyoshi presumed would be other ports. The town was busy with activity, busy enough that Kyoshi and sun were able to slip through without being noticed by too many people.

"Get whatever supplies you need and meet me back here." She said, passing Sun half of the coins she had left.

"Are you going off to do your Avatar stuff?" he asked after pocketing the change.

"Most likely not. This town doesn't seem to be needing much help as far as I can see… although I should look for someone that might give me a day job so I can get more money."

"There's always street performing, you know." Kyoshi did not respond to that, instead continuing on through the crowd while Sun made his way to the food stalls. The further into town she went, Kyoshi became more noticeable; the people that passed her by would give her a friendly nod or some other greeting, and one or two tried to sell her items that they claimed every world traveler needed.

Kyoshi was not interested in curios. What she really wanted was a fish. She had not had any fish since leaving her home

She crossed town and stepped onto the docks, approaching the first boat she saw that was transporting fish. "Excuse me," she said, catching the attention of the man in the boat before pointing to a large green fish. "How much for the se tu?"

"You have good tastes in fish, I see." The man said, turning to face Kyoshi and giving her a smile. "Ten copper pieces."

"Any chance you could bring it down to five copper pieces? I've travelled for several days now and I don't have much money."

"Well, normally I'm adverse to haggling." The man stroked his chin for a moment. "But far be it for me to turn away desperate travelers. Six copper pieces."

"Fair enough." Kyoshi reached into her pocket and pulled out the money, passing it to the man while he took the fish and prepared it for travel.

"You said you were travelling?" the man asked. "Where to?"

"Omashu, and then the Fire Nation. My friend and I are out collecting stories and songs, and we thought that we might find something interesting in the Fire Nation."

"Not sure if they'd take kindly to visitors, but best of luck to you." The man finished with the se tu and passed the meat to Kyoshi, who nodded her thanks before preparing to leave. "Although, if you're interested I could give you a lift to the next port. My cousin Pao Deng manages a few traps up the coast and could get you close to Omashu."

"Well, I wouldn't want to draw you away from your fishing-"

"No, it's fine. I was going to make another fishing run in that direction anyway, and if you and your friend help me out then I wouldn't charge you anything."

"That's… very generous of you. I suppose I should talk to my friend and see if he is willing to take up your offer."

"I understand. Just let me unload these fish and we'll be off." Kyoshi nodded her thanks and turned back towards town. While she would have preferred walking, and thus being close to her natural element, taking a boat would cut down their travel time greatly, and in the end time was more important than personal preference. Sun would disagree, his idea being that the trip was more important than the destination, but Kyoshi was certain that a little discussion and potentially pulling rank as the Avatar would get him to see her point.

As she entered the town square, heading towards the shops, she spotted a large group of men off to one corner. Curious, she changed direction and approached the group, and as she neared she saw that several of them were holding bags of money while several others were crouched over a pair of dice. _Gamblers._ Kyoshi's father had lectured her at length about the pointlessness of gambling, describing gamblers as greedy, evil men who cared more for superficial needs than what really mattered in life. As Lau Dan did not teach her anything about gambling other than how to not lose at Pai Sho, Kyoshi was inclined to trust her father and turned back towards the market proper.

She would have continued if she did not spy Sun among the gamblers. _What has he gotten himself into?_ She though.

"Sun?" she asked as the approached the group, drawing not only her companion's attention but also the attention of several other men in the group. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, hi Kyoshi." Sun said, nervousness in his voice. "You… wouldn't happen to have forty silver pieces, would you?"

"… What did you do?" Kyoshi asked, crossing her arms and glaring at Sun.

"Well, I got the supplies we needed and even managed to snag a machete on the cheap for when we have to cross the swamp, and I saw that there was a game going on over here. I had some money left over, so I made a few bets to try and win us some more money. We got up to forty silver pieces and then I lost on nine, but I really think I can win again… So, do you have forty silver pieces?"

"No. Unlike you I was trying to use what I had responsibly, and I highly doubt that we can get to Omashu on just four silver and some coppers." Kyoshi brought her hand to her face, sighing in frustration. "Look, just get the money back and we'll be on our way."

"Did you forget the part where I need forty silver pieces to keep playing?" Kyoshi could feel the earth breaking beneath her boots. While she trusted that Lau Dan's contacts in Omashu to provide for her once she arrived, she did not like the idea of begging her way across the Earth Kingdom because her traveling partner made a stupid decision. _… I'll have to win that money back, won't I?_ She sighed again and pushed passed Sun and some of the other men, working her way forward to the center of the group.

"How do I play?" she asked. The man who appeared to be leading the group, a skinny fellow with a small beard, smiled before gesturing to the circle.

"It's easy; just place your bet, I'll roll the dice, and whoever's number comes up wins the pot. And I have a good eye for details, so I'll know if you're using Earthbending to cheat. So, Miss, what do you have to offer?"

"… Four silver pieces. It's all the money I have left." Some of the other men in the group laughed, but the leader waved them off.

"Now now, gentlemen. We can't turn away a willing player just because she's a little short on cash. If she only has four silver pieces, let's start the betting at two." _Seems fair enough._ Kyoshi fished two coins out of her pocket and set them in front of herself, while the other men in the group did the same. Ten players, twenty coins. _Just win enough to get us to Omashu, then leave._

"So, what's your bet?" the man asked Kyoshi. "Since you're the newest player, we'll open with you."

"Um…" Kyoshi thought for a moment. While this was a game of chance, there had to be something she could choose to raise her odds. _I screw this up and the road to Omashu will be much more difficult._ "Seven." The others in the group placed their bets, with the leader choosing a fairly risky two. Out of curiosity, and to make sure that she was not being played, Kyoshi shifted her foot slightly and reached out with her Bending as the man cast the dice.

The dice clattered across the ground, sending small tremors up Kyoshi's arm. They did not seem out of the ordinary, and Kyoshi pulled her Bending back slightly as the number came up.

Six. She had lost.

"Well, better luck next time." The leader said before moving the money to another man in the group. "So, care for another round?"

"… You took forty silver pieces from my friend." Kyoshi said.

"I preferred the term 'won', but I suppose that's true. Why do you bring that up?"

"I would like that back, please." The man laughed.

"Unless you can match me forty silver pieces I don't think we have much of a game." The man eyed the white lotus pendant around Kyoshi's neck. "Although… that necklace you're wearing is very nice. What's it made of, pearl? Sabre-Tooth Moose Lion ivory?"

"My necklace?" Kyoshi looked down at the pendant, running her fingers across its surface. "This was a gift from a man who I respect and admire. I can't just gamble it away like it's some kind of bauble."

"Well, if it holds so much value to you I'd raise the price to forty gold pieces."

"I can't."

"Eighty?"

"I can't do this."

"Well then, have fun getting to Omashu with no money." Kyoshi glared at the man. Of all the people she had met, this man was one of the greediest and rudest she had met. He was not like the man who had attacked her family, but he was still one Kyoshi had little respect for. _If only I had more control over my powers as the Avatar; I would see him straight._

"Well, Miss?" the man asked. "What's your choice?"

"… Fine." With a glare, Kyoshi detached the pendant from her neck and placed it down in front of her. "My pendant versus your cash." The man smirked and set his bet down, preparing to throw the dice. As he began to wind up, Kyoshi noticed that his hand had twitched slightly. Was there more going on that she did not see?

"I bet nine." He said.

"Five." Kyoshi set her hand against the ground again, reaching out with her energy just as her opponent threw the dice. These ones were different than the ones he had used last time; they bounced irregularly, and they seemed a bit unbalanced on one side.

The dice stopped. Nine.

"Well, looks like luck isn't on your side." The man said, pulling the cash back to himself. Kyoshi lifted her hand off the ground and gave a small smile.

"He who makes his own luck always wins, does he not?" she asked, drawing a confused look from the man.

"Are you saying I cheated?"

"Yes." There was a pause before the man laughed.

"Oh, we've got a sore loser over here." He smirked. "What's the matter? Can't accept that you lost a very nice trinket."

"If it had been a fair match, I might have been less upset, but now…" Kyoshi swept her hand towards her, pulling the dice off the ground and into her palm. With a flick of her finger she split the dice open, revealing two pieces of metal the size of a fingernail. "See? One side of each die is weighed down by metal. He did not want to risk losing something so valuable, so he cheated to get what he wanted." All eyes were directed on the man, who was growing paler by the second.

Now it was Kyoshi's turn to smirk, after she had taken up her pendant and clasped it around her neck. "I believe you owe me and my friend some money. Say, forty silver and eighty gold pieces to cover his losses and my winnings?" The man opened his mouth to speak, but another member of the crowd spoke first.

"If he cheated with her, who's to say he didn't cheat with us?" the man asked. There were several others who agreed with him, and Kyoshi could feel that being in the center of attention was no longer a good thing. With another flick of her wrist, she bounced the money she had asked for into her hands before standing and walking through the group, although with the others closing in it was difficult to move quickly.

"Sun, let's go before this devolves into a riot." The nomad nodded in agreement and hurried away, just as the first punches were thrown. The conman tried to sneak away from the ensuing brawl, but a few irate men pulled him back in.

"And here's the Avatar, having just started a riot and exposed a few cheaters." Sun said as they found a quieter spot to continue walking. Kyoshi could tell that he was trying to lighten the mood, and allowed a small smile to form on her lips.

"The riot was unexpected, but I cannot say that I am a supporter of deception." Kyoshi frowned. "Now then, let's discuss our money."

"Listen, I'm really sorry about all that-"

"I'm sure you are, but your reckless behavior almost cost me something very dear to me, and almost cost us our money. For now, I'll be in charge of our money until such a time you prove yourself to be trustworthy."

"… Okay." Sun sagged a little, but decided to change the subject. "That pendant. It really is special to you, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." She ran her fingers across the pendant again. "My Earthbending master gave it to me before I began my journey. He said that it would aid me in finding help in Omashu, but I think… I think he gave it to me as a reminder of who I am and where I came from. You understand that, right?"

"As a nomad I can't really say I came from one specific place, but I think I get the idea." They reached the dock, and the man who had offered Kyoshi a trip down the river was just finishing unloading.

"Ah, good to see you again." He said as Kyoshi and Sun neared the boat. "It'll take us most of the afternoon to get down the river, but I know a few good currents that should get us there a bit faster."

"Thank you once again for your kindness. It really means a lot."

"Always a pleasure to be of help." As Kyoshi and Sun prepared for departure, the man paused for a moment and listened. "… Did something happen in town?"

"Small scale riot." Sun explained. "Someone was caught cheating in a dice game, and the others didn't really take it all that well."

"Oh." the man sighed as they pushed off from the dock. "It seems like that's becoming more common nowadays."

"That has happened before?" Kyoshi asked.

"On and off for the past few years. With the magistrates not having as much power as they did before, we get more gamblers and bandits passing by."

"I know…" Kyoshi looked down at the bottom of the boat. "My… I know some people who have been attacked by bandits."

"See? I'm not much for politics, but everyone says the Earth King's just gotten lazy and doesn't care what goes on in the world. Maybe the Avatar should go and make him more accountable."

"Maybe…" Kyoshi looked out towards the town. She did not feel like continuing this conversation anymore.

…

The trip down the river was rather uneventful; they caught a few fish and traded some stories, but there were no attacks, no rampaging monsters, just small eddies and changing currents. Kyoshi was glad for the respite from such excitements, as it gave her time to calm her soul and prepare for the journey ahead. Once they arrived in the next down, they were introduced to Pao Deng, a muscular captain who had sailed these coasts for longer than Kyoshi had been alive. He said he would take them past the swamp and then drop them off at a cove he frequented, and they could continue to Omashu from there.

After they had departed and began their journey to the north, Kyoshi had decided to get some rest. The sun was setting, and she wanted to calm her mind and restore her energy. Soon, she could hear the sound of others turning in for the night, with only Pao Deng and a few others keeping watch and guiding the ship through the night.

Kyoshi should have been at ease, but she was not. There was something… calling her, tugging at her soul as she tried fruitlessly to get some sleep. With a sigh she climbed out of the hammock she had been given, slipped her boots back on, and walked out on deck. It was a cloudless night, with the moon full in the sky, and Kyoshi could see for miles around the boat. To the west was the open sea, while to the east was the foggy outline of the swamp she had heard the others talking about. Kyoshi had no experiences with swamps, so even passing it by on a boat was something new for her.

As she watched the swamp, she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end, and it felt as if she was being pulled towards the shore. The feeling was not strong enough to cause her to jump overboard and swim to shore, but she felt that she needed to go ashore.

"Is something wrong, Miss?" Kyoshi turned and saw Pao Deng standing behind her, a lantern in his hand.

"I'm fine. I just…" She looked back at the swamp. "I feel like the swamp is calling to me, or something."

"It does that." He shrugged. "Benders and people who have a better connection to the Spirit World have stronger feelings. If you'd like, I could take us in and you could explore a little."

"Wouldn't that be a bit dangerous? We could run aground or get attacked by some creature."

"I've navigated these waters for many years; I know what kind of dangers lurk beneath the water. And as long as you don't go too far and take some light, you should be fine."

"… Very well then." Pao Deng nodded before shouting out a few orders. Slowly, the boat turned and began to sail towards the swamp, and Kyoshi went back below deck to gather some supplies. Sun was fast asleep, his snores drowning out all other sound, but Kyoshi was still careful to be quiet as she grabbed a few pieces of food and his machete. Her supplies gathered, she went back on deck and saw that the others had pulled out a smaller boat and a pair of oars.

"There are sandbars that could ground us, so you'll have to continue the rest of the way in that." Pao Deng explained. "Can you handle one of those on your own, or should I send one of my crew to accompany you." Kyoshi looked back to the swamp, which was now looming towards them. She knew that the safest choice was to go with someone else, but something within her told her to go alone.

"I'll be fine. If I'm not back in an hour then you'll know something went wrong." Pao Deng shrugged, then turned to help his men get the boat in the water. Once that task was complete, Kyoshi lowered herself into the boat and started rowing towards shore. It was hard work, and she fell off course a few times, but soon she had docked on the shores of the swamp.

After tying up her transportation, Kyoshi took a moment to survey the swamp. Thick trees and dangling vines obscured most of her vision, and the air seemed to teem with sound and life. The ground beneath her was muddy, and she sank slightly before using her Earthbending to build a stable platform. After reaching out and sensing nothing that could harm her, Kyoshi continued further, the trees and vines soon blocking her view of the ocean.

Her eyes adjusted quickly to the gloom, allowing her to travel without tripping up or getting lost. The gnarled masses of vines and logs provided enough area to walk, although she did use her Bending on occasion when the swamp water overtook dry ground. "Hello?" she said, as if she expected someone to answer her. "I felt something calling to me here… can you hear me?"

No answer. _Silly Kyoshi. It's a swamp; it can't respond to you… at least, not in the normal sense._

Kyoshi found a spot on the log she was standing on and sat down, closing her eyes and reaching out with her spirit. The entire swamp seemed to light up to her senses, and she could detect minute changes and creatures that even the most experienced of benders would have missed. She sat for several minutes, quietly meditating and waiting for something to happen, but nothing changed.

_The swamp doesn't seem to want to respond to me._ She thought.

"That's because the swamp didn't call you here." A voice said. Kyoshi opened her eyes and saw a man seated in front of her. He was dressed in a blue and white parka, traditional clothing of the Water Tribes, and a pelt of some sort was draped over his head. He had a rugged look, and had he been anyone else Kyoshi would have called him handsome. "I did."

"… Avatar Kuruk, I presume?"

* * *

**Swamps are weird.**

**Anyway, I wanted a chance for Kyoshi to connect with her past lives, and the swamp seemed to be a good spot to do so. She'll get to Omashu soon enough.**

**I still don't own _Avatar_ and its related characters. Reviews and favorites are appreciated, and if I screwed something up please let me know.**


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